80% of federal police premises are dilapidated, police unions denounce in La Libre Belgique on Friday.
Eddy Quaino, representative of the CGSP Police (socialist union) explains that dilapidated premises affect the entire federal police. "Liège is emblematic of a much wider problem, 80% of the buildings are affected," said Vincent Gilles of the SLFP Police (liberal union).
Those in Charleroi, Namur and Dinant are also affected, and to a lesser extent Antwerp and Brussels, but so is Vottem where the National Academy of the Federal Police is precariously housed.
The head of the liberal union also mentions premises which, on the surface, are more modern but are still problematic. This is particularly the case at the RAC in Brussels (headquarters of the Brussels Federal Judicial Police), and at Portalis, where the Brussels Prosecutor’s Office is located.
"In Charleroi, there is one toilet for 30 people," he added. "In Eupen, the premises had to be temporarily closed because of an electrical incident. In Antwerp, they no longer have a kitchen, and the list goes on!”
As of Wednesday, 43 offices of the Federal Judicial Police in Liège alone are closed due to poor building conditions.
"We know very clearly that the work of the Federal Judicial Police is important, fundamental and essential to our security, and it is my duty to guarantee them good working conditions," assured Secretary of State Mathieu Michel, in charge of the Buildings Agency.
