Laeken (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Brussels Capital Ixelles police zone opened its new local station on Keizerin Charlottelaan in Laeken, which stands directly across from the Heysel metro station.
The Keizerin Charlottelaan area in Laeken hosts a modern police station which stands across from its metro station within the Heysel district in Brussels. The newly built police station occupies the site that previously held the Houba De Strooperlaan station since its construction in 1958 for the World Exhibition. Modern architectural style defines the new station by segregating public areas from police operational spaces while providing specific rooms for interrogation purposes.
The building accommodates sixteen police personnel and meets all safety standards with routes accessible through public transportation options.
“As an advocate of neighbourhood policing, I am extremely proud of this new building. It offers the public a pleasant place to come into contact with the police,” says Brussels Mayor Philippe Close (PS).
“In the old building, the public entrance and everything that had to do with police work were completely mixed up. In the new building, that is better separated.”
For example, there are also separate interrogation rooms in the new police station.
“New commissionership is much more in line with public expectations”
“Residents can come here if they are invited for an interrogation, want to file a complaint or want to report something. All residents are always welcome at the district police station during opening hours,”
says Henning.
Outside opening hours, they can go there by appointment.
Michel Goovaerts, chief of police of the Brussels Capital Ixelles police zone, is also a satisfied man.
“In our region, there are 13 neighbourhood police stations and we have gone from 130 to 160 neighbourhood inspectors,”
he says.
“This new police station is much more in line with what the public expects in terms of reception and also with the well-being of our employees at work.”
The new police station is located near Brussels Expo.
“The district police station has moved because of the new NEO project,”
says Mayor Philippe Close (PS).
“This new location is perfect: close to the King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels Expo, Kinepolis, the Atomium and Mini-Europe. It is also close to the Heizel metro station. I have noticed that the residents are already enthusiastic.”
Close is convinced that the new police station will benefit the public.
“As a supporter of community policing, I am extremely proud of this new building,”
he says.
“It offers the public a pleasant place to come into contact with the police. We are not only there during events or demonstrations, but every day, to ensure the safety of our residents.”
What are the implications for police services in Brussels?
The Laeken district police station underwent relocation while undergoing modernisation as part of an initiative which aligns with current standards for police facilities throughout Brussels Capital, Ixelles police zone. The NEO project became one of the driving forces behind this move as it redefined the Heysel district.
The new district police station belongs to a Brussels-wide network of stations that deliver real-time vigilance services across targeted neighbourhoods, together with online reports for particular offences.
The initiatives take place within the context of broader reforms and challenges happening in Brussels, where agencies manage ethnic diversity inside police departments and address public safety concerns near railway stations. The Laeken police station serves to provide residents with a single accessible contact point which supports everyday safety requirements above large-scale events and demonstrations, and supports regional community policing in Brussels.
