The promised reinforcement of the Brussels judicial police force is anything but realistic

Late last year, it was decided to continue and adapt the Canal Plan to tackle extremism, terrorism and radicalisation in view of the escalating drug violence in Brussels. The intention was to strengthen Brussels' federal judicial police force with 88 additional officers by the end of the legislature. “I fear that promise will not be kept. As of 1 October, 43 of the promised 88 additional officers had been recruited, but in the same period, 35 experienced members left the FGP (the federal judicial police). The FGP has thus only gained eight officers so far,” says Brussels MP Mathias Vanden Borre.

The Canal Plan, launched after the 2015 attacks to combat terrorism in the Canal Zone in and around Brussels, is being revived. After all, many of the measures in the previous plan have become part of the routine tasks of the police. In addition, the Canal Plan can be partly reused for the fight against drug crime. “I’m glad that route is being taken. The Brussels-Capital Region needs such a unified approach to drug gangs and terrorist organisations through a synergy between the Region, the police districts and the federal judicial police. After all, that violence does not stop at the borders of municipalities or police districts, borders that are only too gratefully used,” says Vanden Borre.

Only another eight officers

The federal ministers in charge then promised to reinforce the Brussels federal judicial police with 88 full-time equivalent officers by the end of the legislature. Vanden Borre, who questioned Brussels Minister-President Vervoort about this on Friday during the topical debate, fears that this promise will not be achieved. “As part of this reinforcement, the Brussels federal judicial police had recruited 43 employees on 1 October 2023. During the same period, 35 experienced members left the FGP Brussels. That means the FGP is only reinforced by eight people,” Vanden Borre laments

Few realistic promises

Vanden Borre also questions the federal government’s promise to reinforce the Brussels FGP by 50 people following the attack when two Swedish football fans were killed. “Does this mean that the FGP has to look for 130 additional officers or is this number necessary to fill the existing police force? In any case, the promises are not very realistic in the short term. Where will the federal government get those people from?” Vanden Borre wonders.