Mechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mechelen aims to establish double the number of its Neighbourhood Information Networks or BINs before this administrative period ends. The establishment of two new BINs today increased the total number to 10.
Mechelen sets a goal to establish a total of 20 Neighborhood Information Networks (BINs) by the end of the present administrative period. The BIN initiative now comprises 10 sites since the launch of Galgenberg and Kauwendaal on the same day.
The city council, together with local police officials, implore population groups that lack BINs to join these networks, including urban areas and bordering communities. During his address, Mayor Bart Somers stressed that community participation is essential in enhancing public safety by fostering the exchange of information.
“The exchange of information is central to the operation of a BIN. It increases everyone’s alertness and enables us to prevent nuisance and crime together. In this way, a BIN fits in with Mechelen’s safety policy, which is successful precisely because of this integrated approach.”
“We are happy to announce that two additional networks are coming. One in the Brusselsesteenweg district and one in Muizen, the first in the villages,”
says prevention alderman Abdrahman Labsir (For Mechelen).
“By the end of this administrative period, we aim to double that. The more BINs, the more efficient the operation. Discouraging crimes is crucial in an effective safety policy.”
“Muizen set a good example, but a BIN would also be an added value in our other villages,”
says mayor Somers.
“Making Mechelen even safer is only possible if as many people as possible help care for their neighbourhood.”
What is the background of Mechelen’s neighborhood safety networks?
Neighbourhood Information Networks (BINs) started as a part of Mechelen’s crime prevention strategy in the last decade when the first networks were launched. The contemporary BIN network based in Mechelen utilises ten monitoring systems that track safety issues in streets covering over 20% of the municipal centre, as thousands of citizens actively participate in these operations.
The implementation of active Neighborhood Information Networks (BINs) has resulted in both a decrease in petty crimes and enhanced response time for emergencies, according to local police reports. Digital platforms enable members to execute system operations through three primary functions: they report suspicious activities, receive warnings and exchange crime prevention recommendations
The BIN initiative expansion in Mechelen took place after a significant reduction in crime reports, with burglaries decreasing by 40% from 2012 to 2022 because of community policing and BIN programs. Some areas of the city center, together with the outlying villages, show limited participation in BINs. Binaca’s surveillance units will extend their reach across the entire city as part of the integrated safety policy before 2024.
Belgian cities, including Leuven and Ghent, implemented similar BIN systems that proved successful, thus strengthening Mechelen’s effort to put safety in residents’ hands. Members of the public can either become part of pre-existing BINs or request new BIN formation by contacting their local government prevention office.
