Police officers in Brussels' Midi police zone are raising alarms over security policies, particularly linking the disbanding of neighborhood patrol units to a troubling increase in gun violence.

Alarmingly, in 2024, 50% of gun violence incidents in Brussels were concentrated in the Midi zone, which encompasses Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles, and Forest, with that figure rising to 70% in 2025.

Recent statistics reveal that from the start of 2024 to mid-March 2025, there were 43 reported shootings in Anderlecht alone, underscoring the pressing need for enhanced policing measures.

In response to these escalating concerns, an anonymous letter from police advocates for the reinstatement of neighborhood patrols to effectively combat crime and restore a sense of safety within the community.

These neighborhood patrol units, known as Koban, were instrumental in addressing issues like street drug dealing and violent thefts but were dissolved in 2021 and 2022 as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local law enforcement officials contend that the removal of these proximity units has created a void that drug traffickers have exploited, resulting in heightened competition and a surge in gang violence.