The mayor of Saint-Josse-Ten-Noode, Emir Kir, announced on Wednesday that extra law enforcers will be hired to ensure security, around the clock, in the capital’s Northern Quarter.
Decrees are also being prepared to be able to order, within days, the closure of establishments that are the source of nuisance, public disturbance or drug trafficking, the mayor said in an interview with Belga News Agency.
The measures, designed to maximise the resources of the municipality and the police zone, followed several meetings called by the mayor on the subject of security in the Northern Quarter. The latest of these sessions took place on Tuesday evening.
In recent months, there has been an upsurge in violence and nuisance in the Northern Quarter, linked to drug trafficking and growing insecurity.
According to Emir Kir, the local authority is preparing to introduce a night shift for law enforcers from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. The number of staff – currently 25 – will be increased by 12 units. Seven people have already been hired for this purpose.
In the next few days, the mayor will also be signing decrees banning gatherings around certain shops that are a source of drug trafficking, various kinds of nuisance, and disturbances to the public peace, as well as the sale of alcohol. The consumption of alcohol in public is already banned.
Also in the pipeline is the closure of the offending establishments.
The orders will be issued for a period of two months, and may be renewed if necessary, the mayor said.
Other measures under preparation include increasing the presence and visibility of the police, and appointing a liaison officer to follow up complaints.
The provision of public toilets and suitable resting places for homeless people has also been announced.
Finally, Mayor Kir appealed to the Federal Government and the Brussels Region to ensure that their resources pertaining to homelessness, migration, justice and the police are also made available to the area.
