3,000 more local cops by 2007

1 April 2004

BRUSSELS – In a bid to quell rising fears about crime and security, the Belgian government has promised that by 2007 an extra 3,232 police officers will be patrolling Belgium’s streets.

The government made the pledge on Wednesday evening at the end of a two-day brainstorming session at Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt’s official residence in Brussels.

The increase in beat officers will essentially be achieved by reorganising the way the police work, rather than through a major recruiting drive to hire new officers.

Analysts say the government will try to cut down on the amount of red-tape police officers have to deal with, which should free up more desk-bound officers for street duties.

It is also planning to beef up staffing levels on local police forces by assigning around 1000 officers from the federal police to street patrols.

The government hopes to have gone a significant way to meeting its 2007 target by the end of this year. It has promised an extra 1,000 officers on the street by the beginning of 2005.

Subject: Belgian news