A Brussels Super-Zone
So what changes are on the program? Currently, the Brussels-Capital Region consists of six zones operating in a territory of 162km². According to local police data, this represents a total enrollment of 7,770 agents including 6,382 operational and 1,388 administrative. From now on, all the police will be under the direction of a single corps chief, against six before.
This single command post will have to coordinate all operations in the heart of the nineteen municipalities in the capital. According to the Minister of the Interior, this unified system will allow greater efficiency and better responsiveness of the police services, faced in particular with acts of violence linked to drug trafficking. It will also allow an exchange of direct information between all the Brussels police forces.
“When it shoots in the capital, all of Belgium is impacted. The criminals act on all nineteen Brussels communes and beyond. The unique area will allow us to answer them with unprecedented firmness and responsiveness. Our region city must be sure for all. It is the heart and objective of this reform“, communique Bernard Quintin.
On the side of the mayor?
The announcement of the merger of the six local zones had caused an outcry from the various mayor of the capital. Left … as on the right. Even within the blue and turquoise bastions, strongly upset reactions were heard.
The four bourgmestres engaged in Brussels had not deigned to set foot in the congress of participation of their party in the federal government. And on the side of the Blues, the bourgmestre of Uccle, Boris Dilliès had abstained during the vote on participation in Arizona. While Vincent de Wolf (MR), the Maïeur d’Etterbeek, had shone by his absence.
If the latter has since revised his position, the apprehensions of other mayor have not been dried up. Fearing to see the control of local fonts escape them, they claimed guarantees.
“It will take even more money for justice, the 150 million euros, this is a first step”
In order to dry up concerns, the cabinet explains that “The police college will decide on the distribution of staff in Brussels territory. Tags will be provided for in the law, in order to guarantee a fair representation between large and small municipalities. Minimal local standards will be respected, both in terms of the presence of local agents in each municipality and accessible police stations and schedules adapted to the needs of the population“.
55 million allocated
In order to support the establishment of the single zone, the government plans to allocate 55 million euros over five years. With the aim of promoting other mergers, incentives are also planned for the other police areas of the country who would like to embark on the same path before December 2029. On the portfolio side still, the abolition of police councils across the country should allow a saving of 2 million euros per year.
No progress however on the revision of the KUL standard (defining the distribution of federal financing to the police areas). On the side of the minister’s office, we indicate to continue “The project of the Kul standard reform, in order to finance local police areas up to their real needs and correct certain sub-financials inherited from the past“.
The finance model for the disadvantaged police areas Brussels
