The number of policemen from the federal police intervention squad will be doubled in Brussels as of Thursday. Brussels Mayors and Interior Minister Jan Jambon made the decision on Wednesday.
The OCAM, the Belgian Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis, will pass on information to Brussels Mayors and the heads of the capital's police zones in a more efficient way.
Following the Paris attacks, Jan Jambon met with the 19 Brussels Mayors at the City Hall and listened to their recommendations and requirements, particularly in terms of police resources.
Minister Jambon and the Mayors agreed to double the federal police intervention squad in the capital as soon as Thursday, shifting from 20 to 40 police forces during the day and from 15 to 30 during the night. The squad is usually only deployed during unexpected events.
Jan Jambon has also agreed to increase information exchanges between the federal and local authorities. The Mayors are insisting that OCAM should communicate to the heads of the capital's police zones in a quicker and clearer way.
The Mayor of Etterbeek, Vincent De Wolf (MR - Reformist Movement), was keen to emphasize that for a good understanding of the situation in Brussels, Mr Jambon should be aware more people are living in Brussels than are registered here.
(Source: Belga)
