Limburg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Limburg has 2 main police zones, CARMA and LRH, covering Genk and Hasselt. These larger zones aim for better efficiency and resource use. Dirk Vandecaetsbeek suggests they offer economies of scale, more staff, and advanced technology. Talks are ongoing about merging smaller zones.
Limburg has 2 main police areas: Carma and Limburg Regio Hoofdstad (LRH). These zones cover the largest cities, Genk and Hasselt. They were created to work better and cover more areas. Smaller zones, like Police Heusden-Zolder, only cover one town. They work together with nearby zones, like Beringen-Ham-Tessenderlo, to stay effective. However, they still face problems with money, staff, and technology.
According to Dirk Vandecaetsbeek from the police union, larger zones can save money and use resources better. They can have special teams and better technology, which helps them respond faster and work more efficiently.
Will merging Limburg police zones improve efficiency and resources?
According to Dirk Vandecaetsbeek, larger police zones have more money. This helps them hire more officers and train them better. They can also buy advanced tools like cameras, drones, and forensic equipment. She mentioned that smaller zones often struggle to get these things.
Officials said with new crimes like cybercrime and terrorism, having specialised teams is important. Some people think merging smaller zones could affect local connections. However, larger zones like Carma and LRH can handle everyday tasks and big emergencies better.
“Then larger zones are at an advantage”,
Says provincial secretary of NSPV Limburg Dirk Vandecaetsbeek:
“The larger zones have economies of scale and more financial clout. That translates into more people and more resources, more new technology too.”
The union wants to focus on the needs of local police officers. They believe that changes require a lot from the staff, so it is important to consider their location and specific jobs. There are talks about merging police zones. They mentioned that one idea is to combine Heusden-Zolder with Beringen-Ham-Tessenderlo.
Another plan is to create a large police zone in North Limburg that includes Hano, Lommel, and Kempenland. The union said that the prosecutor’s comments might help these talks move forward since local politics can make discussions difficult.
“Such reforms demand a lot from the staff, and change is only possible if people are also taken into account. Their location, the proximity of their work, and their specific functions… That must also be taken into account,”
Dirk Vandecaetsbeek said.
