WEST DEVON police played host to two police officers from Holland last week who were part of a group of 16 staying throughout Devon and Cornwall on a fact-finding mission.

Leef van der Wielen and Freek Hullekes from Zeeland teamed up with Okehampton and Tavistock community constables PC Dave Woodland and PC Larry Base to get an insight into the policing styles that have been adopted in the West Devon area.

The officers spent some time on patrol in the two towns, visited Dartmoor Prison at Princetown and the Control Room in Plymouth. They also learnt about Moor Watch, a warning system for tourists to prevent crime on the moor and partnership policing which involves district councils and agencies in a bid to crackdown on crime.

PC Dave Woodland said the officers were also taken to the Ash Moor pits near Meeth which were constructed as a contingency plan to dispose of a backlog of animals during the foot and mouth crisis.

'They were interested in what was being done in this country because they had foot and mouth problems in Holland as well, although not on the same scale,' he said.

He added that in Holland, the police force did not have the same community approach and officers were not given dedicated areas.

'We seem to have more freedom whereas in Holland their time is much more restricted,' he said. 'They are currently in the process of setting up a partnership policing strategy so they wanted to see how it works over here.'