Education Organisation ‘Our new climbing centre is unique internationally’ Written on Thursday, March 12, 2026 Specialised police teams have to be able to work safely at height – think of the technical unit, covert operations, negotiators, or the Special Interventions Division (DSI), for instance. The Netherlands Police Academy trains these skills at its Ossendrecht campus. After years of construction works, yesterday saw the grand opening of the campus’s new Working at Height climbing centre. Bjorn, lecturer at the Working at Height cluster, has been involved with the project right from the drawing board. ‘The training we can offer our climbing centre is unlike anything anywhere else, even abroad.’ The climbing centre is more than just a tower or a climbing hall: it is a place where specialists in working at height can train safely, all the way up to professional practice. This includes not only police officers, but also employees of the armed forces, Customs, the Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service and other agencies. ‘We can now provide all target groups and parties with training that remains consistent, regardless of weather conditions. We can train at any time in a safe learning environment that is challenging, controlled, and inspected for working at height’, Bjorn explains. Leading educational environment In 2020, the old working at height towers in Ossendrecht were demolished. From then on, specialists in working at height had to train outside the Police Academy, at sites like bridges or buildings due for demolition. ‘We had to go in search of sites where it was possible to work safely and where the specialists would be able to reach their learning objectives. It’s unique that our new climbing centre allows us to bring everything together at our Ossendrecht campus. In the climbing halls, students can practise not only industrial or urban climbing, but also sport climbing. There’s a block of flats with scaffolding, part of a bridge, and various types of windows and balconies. The hall also contains a sloping roof of a house, with a skylight’, Bjorn says. Jaap, from the Surveillance, Protection and Interventions team, emphasises that the new facilities are unique. ‘We want to lead the way, not only when it comes to our people and education, but also in terms of the training environment. All these elements together form the basis for an ‘optimal performance climate’. The new training environment contributes immensely to this. It’s a good example of how students can optimally train to handle working in high-risk situations. We can guarantee a safe learning environment, but still get as close as possible to practising with realistic scenarios and risks.’ Working at height is always real ‘We adapt the training and exercises as much as possible to current societal developments’, Bjorn says. ‘For example, in practice we are increasingly dealing with people with mental health issues. To equip students to act safely in situations like these, they practise with these types of scenarios. We can simulate a scenario like this from start to finish: for instance, we could use an actor to play a suicidal or confused person who has climbed somewhere high up and can’t get down, and then have negotiators in contact with the person at a height, and arrest units at the ready. The aim of all this is to get as close as possible to professional practice.’ ❛❛ If you’re standing on a ledge, 20 metres above the ground, that has a physical effect on you. That’s real, and so are the risks. Lecturer Bjorn ‘Working at height is always real. We don’t have to simulate that, because the height is there for real. If you’re standing on a ledge, 20 metres above the ground, that has a physical effect on you. That’s real, and so are the risks. As a result, our scenarios at height are always very realistic. If we have someone at height, screaming their head off – it’s obvious. We build up to it gradually, starting with the basics, such as the rules and regulations. Then we put on a safety belt and practise relevant skills, such as tying the right knots. Step by step, we go higher and higher, until we eventually reach 30 metres above the ground, the height of the climbing tower. Students eventually have to be able to work independently at that height’, Bjorn explains. Over twenty different target groups Over twenty different target groups will receive height training in Ossendrecht. Even just within the police, examples include dog handlers, negotiators, drone pilots, and intervention units. But also shielded target groups involved in covert operations. ‘And I’m sure now we have our new climbing centre, more target groups will be added’, Bjorn says. ‘The appeal is huge, and the possibilities maybe even bigger still – like for practising specific procedures, training on handling steps or stairways, or for getting accustomed to heights, for instance. But mental resilience training would also be possible here.’ The project has been an extensive process of ten years or more. There are various reasons for this, Jaap explains, like the COVID-19 crisis, changes in education, or organisational developments. ‘All these developments affect each other, causing delays to the project. But now it’s finally coming to life. I’m delighted about that, not only for the people who’ve invested so much energy in this for so long, but also for all the students who will be able to train here. This is a place where knowledge and expertise come together. All sort of disciplines can find each other here, and can learn from each other and grow. That’s quite cool.’ Opening of the new climbing facility Many colleagues from the Police Academy and the police were present at the opening on 11 March, including Manon Bodoux, the Police Academy’s Head of Business Operations. But also Steven Adriaansen, mayor of the local municipality of Woensdrecht, as well as the building contractor, graphic designer, draughtsman, project leaders, and site managers. Bjorn: ‘We also invited along several colleagues who had retired but were involved in the project along the way and have always had a passion for working at height.’