Belgium terminates multi-million euro contract for police digitisation project
Interior minister Bernard Quintin has given notice of default to the French developer of i-Police, the ambitious police digitisation project, and is now terminating the multi-million euro contract. That reported De Standaard and Le Soir on Friday.
i-Police would enable the Belgian police to cross-reference data from around 80 applications and databases and make it accessible on a single information platform. In 2021, the government signed a framework agreement with Sopra Steria Group, a French IT consultancy giant, worth 299 million euros.
“This contract, prepared in 2017 and signed in 2021, has not produced any tangible results,” minister Quintin now says. “After a thorough evaluation, I have decided to terminate the project.” “To date, not a single project has been delivered in its entirety,” states an internal police report examined by De Standaard. Of the total budget of 299 million euros, 75.8 million euros has already been paid to Sopra Steria.
“To date, not a single project has been delivered in its entirety"
Minister Quintin emphasises that only 1.8 million euros of this have been paid since the start of this government's tenure. “As soon as it became clear that this project was in danger of failing, I intervened,” he says. “Not only to avoid further waste of taxpayers' money, but also to thoroughly reorient the digitisation of the police force. Our police force needs a different, more effective digital approach.”
In a message to De Standaard, commissioner-general Eric Snoeck acknowledges that the digitisation of the police has been delayed. Both he and minister Quintin emphasise that the police are now switching to a new approach, focusing on smaller-scale projects that rely more on the police's internal IT services.
"Our police force needs a different, more effective digital approach”
The police also points out that “thanks to the budgets allocated to i-Police, the roll-out of Focus could be realised”. Focus allows the entire police force to consult various databases from their smartphones. All ANPR cameras in the country are connected to it, enabling the tracking of suspicious vehicles. Minister Quintin also cites the Police-Search tool as a positive example, which now provides access to all police reports in Belgium. An AI laboratory will be established in 2026.
Sopra Steria Group was given notice of default in October. The company was asked to suspend all activities for the time being. The company's response led to the termination of the contract. The breach of contract may lead to a settlement. Minister Quintin's office has indicated that Belgium will reclaim the lost 75.8 million euros.
Illustration © BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT
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