Security plan: anti-drugs commissioner, 10M EUR for stations and police zone merger

First field action: Gare du Midi (17 February)

Three days after the swearing-in, the minister-president made his first field visit to the Gare du Midi, accompanied by the State Secretary for Urban Planning and the mayors of Anderlecht and Forest. His assessment: "there is room for improvement in coordination" between the actors present (local police zones, Federal Police, SNCB, Stib, communes).

This visit directly illustrates the challenge behind the 10 million EUR earmarked by the RPD for securing the Midi and Nord stations. The multiplicity of security actors on site (6 police zones, Federal Railway Police, SNCB security, Stib guards) confirms the need for an integrated coordination plan.

Government agreement: what changes

The agreement of 12 February 2026 dedicates an entire chapter to security:

• Regional anti-drugs commissioner — dedicated authority for the fight against narcotics
• 10 million EUR investment for securing the Midi and Nord railway stations
• Integrated regional drugs plan — chain approach (prevention, harm reduction, enforcement)
• Interconnected video surveillance — integration of local systems with the Federal Police
• Two phases of SIAMU reinforcement (fire brigade)
• Dedicated recruitment pathway for security professions

Reference data: safe.brussels report (2024)

The annual report by safe.brussels (December 2025) provides the factual context:

Source: Brussels Security Observatory (safe.brussels), 2024 report.

Inherited context

Bruxelles Prévention & Sécurité (BPS) is the regional body responsible for coordinating security and prevention policy in Brussels. It works in conjunction with the six Brussels police zones and the 19 communes.

The previous regional security plan had expired and was due for renewal by the new government following the 2024 elections.

What was blocked (June 2024 — February 2026)

• The adoption of a new regional security plan
• The definition of new prevention priorities
• Funding for new prevention programmes
• Updated coordination between police zones and communes

Existing measures continued to operate, but without a renewed strategic framework.

Merger of the 6 police zones (federal)

The federal government is driving a major reform: the merger of Brussels' 6 police zones into a single unified zone. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) had the text adopted in second reading by the Council of Ministers (23 December 2025).

The single zone would comprise 6,500 operational officers and approximately 1,000 logistics staff, making it the largest police zone in Belgium. Funding of 55 million EUR over 5 years (11M EUR/year) is earmarked to support the transition.

The first implementing royal decree is expected by mid-2026, with an effective date in 2027. However, Les Engages contest having given their agreement, pointing to structurally insufficient funding (estimated shortfall of between 300 and 500M EUR for the Brussels police).

Gare du Nord hotspot task force (March 2026)

On 16 March 2026, the mayors of Schaerbeek (Martin de Brabant, MR) and Saint-Josse (Emir Kir) jointly announced a set of measures for the Quartier Nord hotspot, adopted within the framework of the Local Task Force:

Immediate measures:

• Night closure of all public establishments in the perimeter between 1am and 6am (prostitution venues included) — municipal decree in both municipalities
• Harmonised hours between Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse
• Extension of the public alcohol consumption ban
• Reinforced camera coverage — federal support expected
• E-scooter speed limit in free-floating mode reduced to 8 km/h in the zone
• Reactivation of "safe places" and local prevention partnership

Medium-term measures:

• Integrity investigations into shops in the area (suspected money laundering)
• Redevelopment of rue d'Aerschot, linked to the Station Plan (EUR 10 million envelope)

This activation falls within the framework of the 10M EUR earmarked by the RPD for securing the Midi and Nord stations.

Sources: La Libre, DH (16-18 March 2026).

Military deployment extended to stations and metro (3 April 2026)

From 3 April 2026, 45 additional soldiers patrol Brussels railway stations and metro stops in pairs with the railway police. This deployment adds to the 200 soldiers already on the streets since 23 March (Jewish sites, FIPA patrols), bringing the total to approximately 245 soldiers in public spaces.

Legal void: the Defence Codex, which is supposed to provide the legal framework for these operations, has not yet been voted in the federal Parliament. The SLFP Defence union denounces a "legal void", tent-based accommodation, and inadequate pay (~EUR 4.95/h net). Planned duration: 6 months with review.

Sources: BX1, La Libre, DH (31 March – 4 April 2026).

Brussels-North zone crime: 2025 figures

The Polbruno zone (Schaerbeek, Evere, Saint-Josse) published its 2025 figures:

• "Objective" crime: −12% (29,495 reports)
• Narcotics: +53% (1,333 reports)
• Arrests: +11%, referrals to prosecution +147%
• Violence concentrated in the Quartier Nord

The overall decline masks an intensification of anti-drug operations in the hotspots identified by the task force.

Source: BX1, La Libre, DH (3-4 April 2026).

Issues to monitor

• Police zone merger: the text adopted in second reading must still be debated in the Chamber. Les Engages contest the funding. Royal decree expected mid-2026, effective 2027
• Anti-drugs commissioner: the modalities of the function (powers, budget, reporting line) remain to be defined
• Railway stations: coordination with SNCB (federal) and local police zones will determine the effectiveness of the 10M EUR
• Video surveillance: the interconnection raises questions about privacy and proportionality
• Prevention: security challenges are evolving (cybercrime, radicalisation, urban violence) and the new plan will need to address them