Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Brussels will merge its 6 police zones into one by 2027, spending €55 million. Minister Bernard Quintin says this will improve safety, speed, and trust citywide.
AS VRT News reported, after many years of talks and delays, the government has agreed to join all 6 police zones in Brussels into one. Officials mentioned that before, each zone had its boss, rules, and budget. They often had trouble working together. Help sometimes came too late in emergencies. Now, there will be one main team in charge of all areas.
Minister of the Interior Bernard Quintin said this will help police act faster and share information better. It will also help them make quick and clear decisions. One team for all of Brussels means less confusion and better service.
“With central control of the intervention teams, there is unity of command: no more loss of time, but direct action to protect citizens faster and more efficiently.”
Minister of the Interior Bernard Ouintin (MR)
What will change as Brussels merges 6 police zones by 2027?
Minister Bernard Quintin says the new police plan is good for everyone in Brussels. All areas will now get the same police help. Many Flemish people work in Brussels and have asked for better safety. The minister says the new system will help everyone feel safe and welcome. It will also make life better and help people trust the police.
He mentioned that people will not be confused about which police to call. One team will lead all the police work. This will make it easier to check what the police do. The change will take some time. But the leaders want to move forward.
Brussels will join its 6 police zones into one big zone by 2027. A new police board will decide where officers will work. Each area will still have local police and open police stations. This is to make sure all parts of the city get fair help. Mayors were worried about losing local contact. The plan promises to keep police close to the people.
Brussels will spend €55 million over 5 years to create one police zone. The money will help with staff changes, training, new systems, and better buildings. The plan is to make police work easier and more organised. It will also help police from different areas work better together.
For a long time, Brussels was the only capital in Europe with 6 different police zones.
- Brussels Capital – Ixelles (Politiezone 5341)
- Montgomery (Politiezone 5342) – covers Ixelles, Etterbeek, Auderghem, Saint-Gilles, Forest, and Uccle
- Brussels South (Midi) (Politiezone 5343)
- Brussels North (Politiezone 5344)
- Brussels West (Politiezone 5345)
- Marlow (Politiezone 5346) – includes Uccle, Auderghem, and Watermael-Boitsfort
Many experts said this system was old and not good for a big city. They mentioned that it made it harder to stop crime and deal with big events like protests or attacks. After the 2016 terror attacks, people saw that police zones were not sharing enough information.
Since then, many people have asked for 1 strong police zone. But local leaders did not always agree. Now, after years of talks, the government has decided to join the zones. They also gave money to help.
