2023-05-11 12:12:00
An initiative to better secure the neighborhood around the Gare du Nord in Brussels: over time, the neighborhood has become so dangerous that an association of shopkeepers and the police have decided to label several shops as “Safe Place”, in other words safe places where you can come to take refuge in case of a problem. Explanations.
In the middle of filming with two police officers rue de Brabant, two victims of a pickpocketing call out to them. The theft has just taken place… In recent years, and especially since covid, the situation in the neighborhood has worsened, as evidenced by shopkeepers and police officers.
Mohammed, for example, has been a trader here for 35 years. He is now embarking on a “Safe place” project to secure his street. “As we are one of the veterans who are here, and we see things evolve, we are the most involved and we know the situation, we know the neighborhood, we see the evolution… and I find that it it is a duty to have to participate in this project”, he explains to our microphone.
Already 15 “Safe places” just in the rue de Brabant
These “safe places” are so-called secure places, and above all secure for all victims of present or imminent threats. A place where victims can breathe and get help. These are shops or restaurants in the neighborhood.
The addresses of participating merchants are included in our local dispatching as ‘priority intervention addresses’
At the same time, the work of the police on the ground does not weaken: “We continue our traditional approaches of course, on police patrol, etc. The traders too. We continue to improve our approaches, and the fact of being together allows us to have feedback to know what the partners think of the approaches. That allows us to improve further. We are really in a dynamic of positive evolution, and we notice that it is evolving positively”explains Benoît Blanpain, divisional commissioner of the Brussels-North police zone.
These “safe places” are identified by a green symbol (see photo below). In total on the 600m of the rue de Brabant, there are already 15 as well as an additional rue d’Aerschot. “The addresses of participating merchants and associations are listed within our local dispatching as ‘priority intervention addresses’. This means that the operator who is required to dispatch the teams in the field is alerted to the fact that the situation requires quick response”specifies Laurent Deschrijver, commissioner for the Brussels-North police zone.
In the district, 12 problems on insecurity are listed. Solving them all would take 2-3 years. Too long a delay for the actors in the field who are launching a first step with this “Safe place” label.
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