The Brussels municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode is taking measures to tackle residents' feelings of insecurity in the Northern Quarter, including public bans on gatherings and selling alcohol, increased police presence and city guards going out at night.
The local authorities approved a plan to tackle insecurity in the Northern Quarter, involving a series of measures to reduce nuisance in the neighbourhood. With this plan, Saint-Josse joins neighbouring Schaerbeek, where similar measures were already introduced previously.
"The daily lives of residents are difficult, and last night we heard many testimonies. We are therefore maximising and concentrating municipal and police resources to curb this insecurity," said Saint-Josse mayor Emir Kir in a press release.
At the same time, the structural projects that are seeing the light of day are part of this dynamic, he said. "I would also like to appeal to the Federal Government and the Region on the issues of homelessness, migration, justice and the police, to ensure that their resources are also made available to this district, which deserves our full attention."
Closing shops, increasing police visibility
The municipality has also decided to close some ten commercial establishments, mainly night shops and bars, that "pose a threat to public safety and peace" in the evening. From now on, 12 extra city guards will also be at work to ensure safety in the neighbourhood from 17:00 to 02:00.
In the new plans, the police will also play an important role on the streets, as the aim is to create an increased presence and visibility. A direct line for residents in the Northern Quarter will also be created: additional officers will be deployed to specifically follow up complaints from residents.
In practice, the police will work more in the field, spokesperson for the Brussels North police zone Audrey Dereymaeker told Bruzz. "We are introducing a kind of mobile 'office' for our neighbourhood inspectors, so they will not only patrol, but also be able to work remotely and act more quickly if necessary."
Besides the extra security measures, the municipality also plans to provide so-called "rest areas" for homeless people, as well as public toilets.
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The municipality is intervening again, as the number of complaints about insecurity in the neighbourhood has greatly increased lately. At the end of March, about 20 residents already took to the streets to complain about the unsafe conditions in the neighbourhood, but "things are going from bad to worse," said Roland Poilvache of the neighbourhood committee Habitants du quartier Nord.
The local authorities, the police and the residents all agree that the municipalities must be able to cooperate with both the national and regional levels, but the judiciary also has a role to play.
Late last year, the police zone Brussels North reached an agreement with the Public Prosecutor's Office to appoint "reference magistrates" to guarantee a more in-depth approach to problems in the neighbourhood.
"The Public Prosecutor visited the Northern Quarter for the second time on Friday and that is important. This allows them to understand the situation well and think with us to take measures," said police spokesperson Dereymaeker. "But the situation regarding the sale of narcotics and violent thefts remains difficult."
