There is a growing number of boas in the Netherlands. This abbreviation stands for extraordinary investigating officer. These are civil servants with special powers. Boas work in various professions, such as game wardens and train conductors. The average salary of a boa is quite good. Anyone who wants to become a boa can follow the Basic Training to become a special investigating officer. This can be done at various institutes. Usually additional additional training is also required. There are more and more boas in the Netherlands. A boa is a special investigating officer. This is an officer charged with investigating a specific crime. The boa has existed since 1994, when this description was included in the Code of Criminal Procedure. This happened in Article 142. This function replaced several other regulations that existed independently of each other. A boa is an official who is authorized to track down a specific, usually limited group. For example, he or she can issue fines, but only to that group. An example of a boa is, for example, a fish inspector or a train conductor. They only deal with offenders in this specific area. Extraordinary investigating officers usually have a function that contributes to the maintenance of public peace and order.
Working as a boa
There is a growing number of boas in the Netherlands. At the beginning of 2013 there were about thirty thousand. Earlier in 2007, there were five thousand fewer. There are several reasons why the number of boas is growing so quickly. One reason is that the call for enforcement in society has increased significantly. There is an increasing feeling of insecurity in society. The government is trying to do something about this and is creating more and more boas. Regulations have also grown significantly. The police are burdened by the increased workload. To support them, additional boa positions are often created that the police can support in their work. For some positions it was expected that they could disappear in the long term, such as the profession of conductor for example. However, the NS has backtracked from this, because technology appears not to be able to simply replace the conductor.
How is a boa recognisable?
Boas can be recognized in different ways. Most boas wear a badge. Whether a boa wears a badge depends on the extent to which a boa comes into contact with the public. The badge has been mandatory since 2008 for all boas who wear a uniform and work in public. This could, for example, be city guards or someone who works at customs. The badge also indicates which powers a specific boa has. This may, for example, involve issuing fines, arresting suspects and carrying out an identity check. Some boas also carry handcuffs. They are not allowed to carry weapons. Only appropriate force may be used during an arrest.
Training to become a boa
Someone who wants to become a Boa can follow a training course. There are various institutes that offer this training, such as the LOI, the Police Training Center and the NHA. They offer the Basic Training to become a special investigating officer. You can follow this training at your own expense, but it is advantageous to look for an employer who pays for the training for you and where you can immediately start working towards completing the training. After successfully completing the training, you will receive a certificate that is valid for five years. If you do not use it within five years, you will have to obtain a new certificate. In addition to the basic training, separate training courses are often required. For example, a game warden must have knowledge of the Flora and Fauna Act and must follow specific training for this.