Belgian police can now monitor live camera footage from SNCB (National Railway Company of Belgium) in and around train stations, following a new agreement between the federal government and SNCB.
Previously, police departments could only access SNCB camera footage after incidents had occurred. Mayors and SNCB officials had long advocated for real-time access, arguing that it would enable faster responses to public disturbances or criminal activity.
Nearly 130 local police zones, each responsible for at least one train station within their jurisdiction, will gain access to the camera feeds. Additionally, federal police units, such as emergency centres, aviation police, and judicial police, will also benefit from real-time viewing. This capability was already available to Securail, SNCB’s security service, and the federal railway police.
The new system allows live access to footage from approximately 8,000 cameras located in public areas, including station halls, waiting rooms, platforms, bicycle parking spots, and car parks.
Cameras inside train carriages—around 7,000 managed by SNCB—are not included in this agreement. According to a statement from the office of Interior Minister Bernard Quintin, there are currently no plans to share these feeds, although this could change in the future.
This initiative was announced on Tuesday by federal ministers Bernard Quintin (Interior) and Jean-Luc Crucke (Mobility), alongside SNCB CEO Sophie Dutordoir.
