Police officers are contesting the security policy in the Brussels Midi police zone, which includes Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Forest, attributing recent shootings to the disbandment of neighbourhood brigades.
For years, the Midi zone had civil police units known as Koban, inspired by Japanese community policing, which targeted street dealers and violent theft. These small, autonomous teams were funded by local municipalities.
However, these brigades were costly and were disbanded after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and 2022.
According to local police, 50% of Brussels shootings in 2024 and 70% in 2025 occurred in Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles, and Forest. They argue this is because the Midi zone operates differently from others, lacking units dedicated to tackling problematic neighbourhoods.
Summarising this perspective, L’Echo reported that the absence of these teams has allowed traffickers to operate freely, raising drug prices and escalating gang conflicts.
From 1 January to mid-March 2024, 43 shootings occurred in Anderlecht alone. The authors of the letter are calling for the reinstatement of neighbourhood brigades.
