The Brussels regional government appointed Miranda Scheers as regional drugs commissioner on Thursday to co-ordinate efforts against drug-related crime in the capital.
Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès said Brussels needed stronger co-ordination between everyone involved in security, justice and prevention, adding that this would be the core task of the drugs commissioner’s team.
According to Dilliès, Scheers combines the experience and practical knowledge needed for the role. Scheers trained as a criminologist and has previously worked as an adviser on drug policy for the federal government and as director of Security and Prevention for the city of Leuven.
A total of 28 candidates applied for the post. Ten passed the pre-selection stage, and eight were invited for interview, with Scheers emerging as the top candidate after the selection process.
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The regional drugs commissioner will be attached to the regional security administration, safe.brussels, and will initially lead a team of three.
Scheers will be responsible for developing Brussels’ regional anti-drugs strategy, with a particular focus on hotspot policy.
Her role will include co-ordinating interventions by the police, municipalities, regional services and transport operators, in co-operation with judicial and prevention partners.
Scheers will also oversee operational monitoring and evaluation, as well as administrative and regulatory matters, particularly those linked to tackling money laundering.
In addition, she is expected to propose legislative changes and practical regulations tailored to the realities on the ground in Brussels.
Dilliès said Scheers would convene at least one co-ordination meeting each month with himself, safe.brussels director-general Sophie Lavaux, national drugs commissioner Ine Van Wymersch, Brussels public prosecutor Julien Moinil and Michel Goovaerts, chief of the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone.
