Chief of Police Under Scrutiny After Cameras Removed in De Panne

Brussels (Brussels Morning) – West Coast police zone expresses confidence in Chief Nicholas Paelinck amid a complaint about removed security cameras. The investigation, led by the CDBC, centres on camera installation in De Panne.

Is Chief Nicholas Paelinck Under Scrutiny for Removed Cameras?

“We maintain full confidence in Chief of Police Nicholas Paelinck and hope that the camera in question will be replaced quickly so that safety is not compromised.” This was reported by the West Coast police zone after a Brussels company filed a complaint about a high-performance camera that was removed from an apartment building in De Panne last week. Governor Carl Decaluwé also states that he does not know what the fuss is about.

What Prompts Investigation into De Panne Security Camera Installation?

Investigators from the CDBC (Central Anti-Corruption Service) conducted a search at both the town hall of De Panne and the police station of the West Coast, led by an investigating judge in Brussels. The reason was a complaint from the Brussels company iSEA about a second camera that was placed next to their camera on the roof of an apartment building in Dynastielaan in De Panne. This camera is funded by the UK Border Force and serves to combat the transmigration problem. The Brussels company is asking questions about the tender and operation of that camera, a so-called Anduril Tower camera. 

Are Complaints against Chief Nicholas Paelinck Justified?

The complaint from the Brussels company is directed against unknown persons, but they mainly target Chief of Police Nicholas Paelinck of the West Coast zone. The West Coast Police Board held an emergency session on the issue.

“Neither the mayor of De Panne nor the chief of police received any formal feedback about the content of the judicial investigation,” Westkust police reported. “It was read in press reports that investigators would focus on a file regarding the installation of security cameras on a building in De Panne. This is indeed a file that the mayor of De Panne, the chief of police and the governor have worked hard on.”

“The test setup of this camera system is part of the fight against human smuggling and transmigration and was also fully funded by the UK Border Force, after mediation by the governor and in full public view. There is therefore no question of a tender. The mayors maintain their full confidence in the chief of police Nicholas Paelinck and have no doubts about his integrity or the integrity of the mayor of De Panne.”

Is Governor Carl Decaluwé Involved in Camera Dispute?

The governor is also mentioned twice in the complaint in question. “But I know nothing, I was not questioned or suspected,” responds Governor Carl Decaluwé. “There was also no search of my cabinet. Logically, I am often a recipient of email traffic between the police and companies around the cameras. After all, I have been a contact person between the province and the UK Border Force for support for the transmigration problem for six years. This collaboration is going very well. That way I am involved in the broader story. We ask that this is resolved as quickly as possible.” 

Mayor Bram Degrieck and Chief of Police Nicholas Paelinck, both of whose mobile phones and computers were confiscated, also quickly ask for clarity. West Coast police ask for even more. “The police college hopes that the camera system will be reinstalled as quickly as possible so that safety is not further compromised. After all, the camera is aimed at the beach and the sea at the border to identify and map possible alarm signals regarding human smuggling and drownings of boat refugees.”