Civic leaders in The Netherlands have spoken of how Nottinghamshire Police's methods have helped them tackle crime, keep people safe, and support their communities.

The overseas partnership between Nottinghamshire Police and Assen - a city and municipality in the north east of The Netherlands - has grown yearly as part of an initiative to share best practices and mutually understand and learn from different policing methods.

Andrew O'Hagan, an ex-detective sergeant for serious organised crime in Nottinghamshire, has been visiting representatives in Assen for 20 years.

He's now been made a lifetime ambassador of the city of Assen after they picked up ideas from him around body cams for officers and the force's Street Triage Team, which joins up police officers and mental health practitioners to provide a specialist response to people with mental health issues.

He has made key connections in the province and built up the policing partnership which has helped bring the Dutch police closer to their communities.

In collaboration they looked at the different policing procedures in the different cities and, because of that, he was asked by the Dutch police to go and help at the TT race – a major sporting event and integral part of the MotoGP calendar.

After this, he continued going every year and began to take officers from Nottinghamshire along with him.

Since leaving the police and lecturing at Nottingham Trent University for the last 13 years in the chemistry and forensics department, he has also created a programme which allows students to work within Assen with the police and City Hall.

He said: "I first went out there in 2003 as an exchange project between Nottinghamshire, Poznan and Assen to tackle drugs and reduce crime.

"We can learn things from them, they can learn things from us.

"Assen has looked at what Nottinghamshire has been doing and have taken it on board, body cams for officers and metal health triage are just some to mention.

"Some of the methods they use in the Netherlands have also been brought back by officers who have got the experience of going out there every June."

François Kloosterhuis, the international contact coordinator at Assen City Hall, said: "There's no logical reason why we should go together, but it works. It's a match made in heaven."

"When we started the partnership in 2003, everyone could see an English police officer which is not something you normally see. People wanted to know if he was a real officer, and it brought the visitors of the TT festival closer to our own police."

During their most recent visit to Nottinghamshire, the representatives from Assen met with Nottinghamshire Police Inspector John Lees, Sergeant Mark Westlake and Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry who heard all about the cross-partnership work going on between the two forces and was able to hear how the force's practices have helped Dutch officers. The eye-opening visit also included a tour of the university's forensics department.

In June, Sgt Westlake - based at Radford Road Police Station - was among three officers from Nottinghamshire Police sent to assist their Dutch counterparts at the MotoGP round, which attracts over 100,000 spectators.

While at the motorsport event, Sgt Westlake was called to assist six Dutch officers as they struggled to apprehend a British man suspected of committing a serious assault.

The assistance Sgt Westlake gave to his Assen counterparts, in apprehending the suspect and de-escalating a potential violent situation, was commended by the Mayor of Assen.

Inspector Lees said: "The partnership between Nottinghamshire Police and Assen has grown yearly with operational officers working alongside our Dutch colleagues to share best practices and understand different policing methods, so as to return to their local community and continue to deliver the highest standards.

"We will continue to develop our working relationships with the Assen Police, Nottingham Trent University and other critical partners to better understand and deliver a bespoke service to all our communities."

Commissioner Henry said: "No matter where a police officer is based, they have the same responsibilities to keep the public safe.

"Where we can, it is always great to share our best tips and tricks of the trade to help officers everywhere give the best service they possibly can.

"Not only has Andrew been doing some incredible work with bringing Dutch police closer to their own community, but he has put Nottinghamshire Police's best practices on a world stage."