Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A federal police survey in Belgium shows 64% feel safe, but 19% in Brussels feel unsafe. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin plans to unify Brussels’ 6 police zones by 2027 to improve safety. Cybercrime, especially phishing, is rising, yet reporting is declining, challenging law enforcement.
As VRT News reported, a recent safety survey by the federal police in Belgium asked 150,000 people about their feelings of safety. The results show that most Belgians, about 64%, rarely or never feel unsafe in their neighbourhoods. However, 26% sometimes feel insecure, and nearly 10% often or always feel unsafe.
Young people are the most likely to feel unsafe frequently, with 15% reporting such feelings. Women feel unsafe more often than men, with 12% of women reporting feeling unsafe compared to 8% of men. There are also regional differences.
People in Brussels report the highest sense of insecurity, with 19% often or always feeling unsafe, which is up from 16% in a previous survey. In Wallonia, 13% of people share this concern, while in Flanders, only 7% report often or always feeling unsafe.
Will Police reform and a drug crackdown improve safety in Brussels?
The survey also found that people are increasingly worried about drugs in their neighbourhoods. Many people link problems in their area to drug use and dealing in public spaces. Officials mentioned that this is a bigger issue in cities, where about one-third of people are bothered by drug-related problems.
In Brussels, people feel less safe, and drug activities are a growing concern. They said that the survey suggests that dealing with drug problems could help people feel safer. While most Belgians feel safe, some areas and groups have more worries, often related to drug use.
“The fragmentation of 6 police zones in Brussels is no longer sustainable.”
Bernard Quintin (MR)
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin is worried about the police in Brussels. He says the situation is “worrying” because of problems in several neighbourhoods. These areas have issues like drugs, street threats, damaged cars, and illegal trash. The problems are connected, making it hard to feel safe.
Bernard Quintin mentioned that the police are split into 6 different zones, each with its own rules. This makes it difficult for them to work together and solve problems. They don’t use their resources well, which makes it harder to fix the problems in the city.
To fix the problems, Minister Quintin wants to combine the 6 police zones into one big zone by January 1, 2027. This new zone would have one police chief in charge. He mentioned that the goal is to have one clear leader, one set of rules, and one plan for the whole city.
