Lifetime Achievement Award for Bruges Police Chief

“In order to draw more attention to remarkable projects within the Belgian police world, the Circle of Police Leadership organizes an annual gala evening in which the prestigious CPL awards are presented in various categories,” says Lien Depoorter, spokeswoman for the Bruges Police.

“Commitment to police integration”

“That happened on Friday evening for the third year in a row, in the presence of Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden and the top of the local and federal police.”

The chief of police of PZ Brugge, who will retire in July 2023, was therefore honored for “his many years of extraordinary contribution to the integrated functioning of the Belgian Police.”

Rich career

With a master’s degree in criminology and a master’s degree in communication sciences, Dirk Van Nuffel first worked for several years at the Ministry of the Interior as a police and security adviser. He then became chief constable of the municipal police in Knokke and the Damme/Knokke-Heist police zone for 19 years in succession. He was also deeply involved in police reform at the turn of the century.

He has been chief of police of the Bruges Police since 2011, after he also chaired the Permanent Committee of the Local Police for 10 years.

“Humbly accepted”

At the beginning of last year, Van Nuffel started his last mandate with the Bruges police force.

“I accepted this award with some humility because police leadership is the work of many in times of social change and shortages of personnel and resources. By dedicating the award to my generation of police chiefs, I immediately pointed to the major challenges that lie ahead for our successors.”