Army street patrols to end
After more than five years soldiers from the Belgian Army will no longer patrol in cities such as Brussels and Antwerp. The decision to end the patrols has been taken by the Federal Government a number of sources have told VRT News. The army was deployed onto the streets of our major cities in the aftermath of the attacks in Paris in 2015. During the next few months, the police will gradually take over the street patrol duties that have been carried by the army.
The reduction in the military presence on our country’s streets will be carried out in phases and in close consultation with the security services taking into account the threat analysis reports from the terror threat analysis body OCAD.
From next Tuesday the number of troops deployed on the streets will be reduced from 550 to 300. Operation Vigilant Guardian will finally come to an end by 1 September next year.
A government source told VRT News that “From then the police services will once again be solely responsible for ensuring security in the whole of Belgium. They will guarantee the same level of security as the troops do”
For some time now the army has been asking for the operation to be ended. The patrol duties have meant that there was insufficient time and means available to ensure that young soldiers are given enough training.