Lievegem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Lievegem will deploy private security this summer in Waarschoot, Lovendegem, and Zomergem to monitor trouble spots. Mayor Martens supports it; the opposition party Vooruit wants youth workers instead.
As VRT News reported, Lievegem, a municipality in the province of East Flanders, Belgium, is taking action to address issues by using private security during the summer months. These security teams will focus on areas where young people tend to gather and where problems have occurred in the past.
They indicated that their core responsibility is to monitor and report; they will not be making regular patrols or actively intervening in any incidents. They will assess and observe anything that might be problematic, report it if it is a concern, and call the police if a matter is a threat to safety.
The local government wants to provide extra security without overstepping the role of the police. They mentioned that this is a temporary measure to ensure public safety and maintain a clear distinction between private monitoring and official law enforcement.
“We have made it legally possible for the security companies to do their work,”
Says Martens.
“They are allowed to perform their function in both the private and public domains.”
What is Lievegem doing to tackle summer disturbances?
Lievegem is concerned about potential problems like vandalism and public disturbances, particularly after some recent issues involving young people. To address these concerns, the local government has decided to bring in private security to monitor specific areas.
A spokesperson from the municipality explained that this move is not a long-term solution but a necessary step to ensure a quick response when needed. The town wants to avoid a situation where people might say they are not taking action. The use of private security will be handled carefully and proportionally.
The opposition party, Vooruit, isn’t happy about the town’s plan to use private security. They say it costs too much and won’t solve the real problems. Vooruit believes the town needs to fix the core issues, not just use security guards.
They want the town to hire youth workers who can connect with young people and help them with activities like sports and clubs. These workers, according to Vooruit, could build trust and help kids behave better. The town is still talking to security companies but is also discussing long-term solutions for young people.
In Waarschoot, a group of young people has been causing problems for residents for a while. They often made trouble in public places, which made the community frustrated. Things got worse during the Easter weekend when some people tried to confront the group directly. This led to a fight, and the police had to step in.
As a result, the authorities banned the young people from the areas where they had been causing issues. This incident made the town realise they needed to take stronger action to keep the peace and prevent future disturbances.
Private security will be watching specific areas in Waarschoot, Lovendegem, and Zomergem. These areas will be marked with signs. In Waarschoot, the security will focus on the Sports Hall area, parts of Nijverheidsstraat, Schoolstraat, Waarschootdorp, and Nieuwstraat.
In Lovendegem, they’ll patrol between Appensvoordestraat and Molendreef, the Centrumstraat, Dorp, and Molendreef up to Kannunnik Triestlaan, including the fishpond. The Sportstraat and all sports facilities are also included. Zomergem’s security will cover the Market, Dreef, Kruisdreef, the area between Hofbouwstraat, Lt Dobbelaerestraat, and Tulpenlaan, Sportcentrum Den Boer and the sports facilities along Tennislaan towards Lt Dobbelaerestraat.
