Federal police and Belgian Railway inaugurate new police station at Brussels-South station
In a move to improve security in and around Belgium's largest transit hub, the Federal Police and NMBS officially inaugurated a new police station at Brussels-South station on Thursday. While operational since mid-November for a trial period, minister of the interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) and federal minister of mobility Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) attended the station's formal opening.
The police station's establishment follows a surge in complaints about safety issues at Brussels-South, including pickpocketing, drug dealing and general insecurity. Outgoing prime minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) promised the station's creation in September 2023, during a large-scale police operation targeting crime in the area. The surrounding neighbourhoods have also been a focal point of concern for authorities.
Strategically located between platforms 8 and 9, the new police station operates during the station's opening hours, from 03:30 to 01:45 AM. It provides a central point for passengers to report incidents in and around the station as well as on trains. However, urgent police assistance will still require calls to emergency numbers 101 or 112. The Railway Police and Securail will continue their patrols as part of broader security efforts.
© BELGA VIDEO LOU LAMPAERT
During its introductory week from 19 to 25 November, the station handled 95 reports, highlighting its immediate utility. "This police station welcomes, questions, and cares for victims, but the intention is not to offer a search service afterward," explained Thomas Reginster, Director of Operations for the Brussels Railway Police.
The police station’s delayed opening, originally planned for late summer 2023, sparked criticism over bureaucratic inefficiencies. Outgoing Brussels minister-president Rudi Vervoort (PS) attributed the delay to "disagreement within the federal government."
Looking ahead, further efforts to bolster safety at Brussels-South are in motion. In 2025, a new, fully equipped police station will open 500 metres from the station on Tweestationsstraat in Anderlecht. This facility will serve as the headquarters for the Brussels Zuid police zone, providing a more permanent base for law enforcement in the area.
Police pictured during the opening of a new police station in the Brussel-Zuid on 28 November 2024.
© BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
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