Picture this: you are sprinting through your own neighborhood, it is scorching hot, and the police are chasing you. No, you have not done anything wrong. You are playing The Hunt! 🏃♂️👮
Last Wednesday, Stadbroek in Sittard turned into one big playing field. Nearly 100 young people hit the streets in two game rounds, completing challenges and collecting stamps. Meanwhile, real police officers and enforcement officers tried to track them down. Despite temperatures that would normally keep everyone indoors, the energy was through the roof.
The idea behind it is simple but clever:
- Connect young people with police and officers in a fun way
- Bring positive energy to the neighborhood
- Do something together instead of living past each other
Afterwards, players, parents, and neighbors gathered at community canteen Sjoepinoe for fries, a prize ceremony, and a good chat. The reactions? Overwhelmingly positive. Many kids already want to join again next year.
The event was organized by the municipality together with police, enforcement officers, Jong046, PIW, and Kindante.
What makes this event particularly special: The Hunt is deliberately designed as a ‘positive contact’ method. Research shows that young people who only have negative experiences with law enforcement (fines, warnings) are later less willing to cooperate with police. Through playful interaction, that cycle is broken before problems even arise. Stadbroek is one of the first neighborhoods in the region to actively apply this approach.
Source: Municipality
