Brussels is appointing a ‘Gold Commander’ to coordinate its six police districts as authorities step up efforts to tackle a recent wave of violence linked to organised drug trafficking. Michel Goovaerts, police chief of the Brussels-Capital Elsene police district, will take on the role.
The measures come after six shooting incidents in just four days in the Midi police zone, which covers Anderlecht, Forest, and Saint-Gilles. The incidents included shots being fired at a former police station in Anderlecht as well as two gun attacks that injured two people.
Brussels has recorded 57 shootings in the first seven months of 2026. At the current rate, the number could surpass last year’s record of 101 shootings.
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin has described the situation as a “national emergency” and wants it discussed by the National Security Council. “The fact that a police station has come under fire shows just how serious the situation is. This new dimension of violence, involving military-grade weapons of war, requires us to deploy all necessary resources,” Quintin said.
Police presence will be increased in the capital’s most troubled neighbourhoods, particularly during the evening and at night. The police will also receive additional resources, including K9 teams, special units and rapid-response teams, all operating under a unified command.
‘Gold Commanders’ have previously been deployed during New Year’s Eve and other major events, when a unified command is used to coordinate police operations.
Other proposed measures include creating more places in secure centres for illegal migrants, expanding detention capacity, taking a firmer approach to illegal status and returns, and creating additional places in secure youth detention centres.
The measures come amid growing frustration among residents over the violence and what they see as a lack of effective action against organised crime. On Sunday, Saint-Gilles residents are due to hold a rally at 15:00 at Place de Bethléem, a busy community hub and drug-dealing hotspot just metres from the scene of two recent shootings.