Crime Prevention in Belgium

This edition of the International Observer features a snapshot of developments in crime prevention in one of our member countries - Belgium. Similar to our April 2003 edition (The Netherlands) and our May 2003 edition (Australia), we focus on the range of current policies and strategies that promote community safety and crime prevention in one country. This constitutes an integral part of our work plan in developing and expanding ICPC's knowledge base on community safety and crime prevention in 2004.

We wish to thank Mr Yves van de Vloet, Director of the Permanent Secretariat for Prevention Policy (SPP), Ministry of  Interior in Belgium, who gave freely of his time in answering our questions, and Ms. Carol Targé, Deputy Advisor (SPP), who helped us better understand recent policy developments in crime prevention in Belgium.

A Few Words From Our Former APC Chair, Yves Van de Vloet

In addition to the visit by our new President Raymonde Dury, we had the pleasure of welcoming another visit by our immediate past Chair of the Advisory and Policy Committee, Mr.Yves Van de Vloet, Ministry of Interior in Belgium.

We asked Mr Van de Vloet to share some of his thoughts about his experience as Chair of the APC from 2002-2003.   He noted the greater degree of stability the organization enjoys, especially now that some 15 governments are ICPC members (including observer members), while stressing the need and importance of other governments to become ICPC members.

He also noted the significant international accomplishments of ICPC, such as the Workshop at the 10th UN Congress in 2000, the Dakar seminar in January 2004, and the recent ICPC International City Exchange Program, which he maintains 'all help to strengthen ICPC’s visibility and legitimacy internationally....  The fact that the ICPC has been asked to organize the crime prevention workshop at the 11th UN Congress in April 2005 in Bangkok, is testimony of the international successes of the ICPC.''

Country Profile

Belgium

Belgium is a small, highly developed and densely populated country in Western Europe bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands. Belgium has a total population of just over 10 million. The capital and largest city is Brussels (est pop.139,501 (2003), located in the centre of Belgium. 

A federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch, Belgium is divided into 10 provinces (of which Brussels is not included) and has 589 municipalities.

ICPC Welcomes its New Chair and Inaugurates its New Offices

On Wednesday September 8th, the ICPC welcomed to its new offices a remarkable gathering of people, all active in the field of crime prevention. While we have lost some of our panoramic view of the majestic St. Lawrence River, we have gained considerably in terms of space and conviviality, and lowered our long-term costs.

The evening was a true reflection of ICPC’s mission. Alongside the Chair of the Board of Directors, Ms. Raymonde DURY (pictured below on left), were Mr. Jacques CHAGNON, Minister of Public Safety of Quebec, Mr. LUC CRÉPEAULT, Deputy Minister of Public Safety of Quebec and current Chair of ICPC’s Advisory and Policy Committee, Mr. Yves Van de VLOET, Immediate Past Chair of the APC and from the Ministry of the Interior of  Belgium, Ms. Eleanor KING, Executive Director of the National Crime Prevention Centre of Canada, Mr. Michel Sarrazin, Chief of the Montreal Police, Mr. Régis Falardeau, Deputy Director General of Quebec Security, Ms. Louise G. GAUDREAULT, Director of the Quebec National Police School, consular representatives from ICPC member countries, academics and researchers, representatives of prevention and international cooperation organisations, and representatives from the private sector.  The evening was a perfect illustration of how ICPC spans the various fields of work and expertise in the collective development of community safety and crime prevention.