5 years ago the Ghent police wanted to strike due to a staff shortage, today there are more officers than ever (Ghent)

‘I swear loyalty to the King, obedience to the Constitution and to the Laws of the Belgian people.’

With these words, 65 new police officers and 11 administrative and logistics staff members were sworn in on Tuesday in St. Peter’s Square. Chief of Police Filip Rasschaert could barely hide his pride during the swearing-in ceremony. “There have never been so many of us and we are grateful for that.”

The number of active police officers in Ghent is at a high level. At the start of the legislature there were 1,050. Today there are a hundred more, 1,150. And depending on the inflow and outflow, the force expects to increase to 1,165 active officers this year. It was different not so long ago.

Police officers take the oath on St. Peter’s Square. — © Fauve Lagae

Promise

For years, the Ghent police faced a shortage of people. Many people retired and Brussels systematically estimated the capacity (and budget) for new people in Ghent as low.

That pressure weighed on the Ghent corps. The same work had to be done every time with fewer agents. A high workload and vacation days that could not always be taken caused the bomb to explode in 2019. The unions threatened a strike in the middle of the Ghent Festivities.

The signal arrived. Mayor Mathias De Clercq (Open VLD) had only just come into power and averted the strike by immediately promising fifty extra police officers.

READ ALSO. Police threaten to strike during Ghent Festivities: unions urgently demand additional recruitment

Difficult

Recruiting was difficult. If we managed to find enough new people, part of the new class was requisitioned for Brussels one year. And when savings had to be made at the City, there were suddenly only twenty-five extra police officers.

But today Mayor De Clercq can say that he has kept his promise. The force now has a hundred more officers than when he took office. What plays a role is that new police recruits can now choose where they want to work early in their training. Ghent remains a popular corps.

Ghent residents still often criticize the local police, for example about the disappearance of approachable community police officers. In the most recent municipal council, N-VA and Vlaams Belang were also critical because the police are asking for ten extra people in the fight against drug dealers.andThere were no immediate promises about this from the city council. (Read more below the photo)

READ ALSO. Parks risk becoming ‘drive-ins’ for dealers: Ghent police ask extra officers to remain in charge of the fight against drugs

Complex crime

According to Chief Rasschaert, the fact that the police force is now so large is desperately needed. The fight against crime is becoming increasingly complex and a lot is happening in Ghent. “We have never had to deploy so many troops for law enforcement as last year,” says the police chief.

Rasschaert had some advice for his new cops on Tuesday. “This profession requires a great commitment, but it is not always easy. We have to recognize that.” He talked about the recent tensions between Kurds and Turks in Ghent. “There was a polarization about something that had nothing to do with Ghent. But as a team we handled it well.”

The Ghent police maintain a high level of trust compared to other central cities, as is evident from every survey among residents.“We are needed more than ever in a world that is becoming more complicated and a world with more negative elements. We do the best we can within this often difficult context.”