Brussels Midi Police Connect Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles, and Forest Shootings to Koban Units

Brussels – Police officers from the Brussels Midi security zone, which covers Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles, and Forest, are voicing strong opposition to a recently implemented security policy. They argue that the disbandment of neighborhood patrol brigades has contributed to a spike in gun violence across the area.

Officers in the Brussels Midi police zone blame the current security strategy for rising violence, particularly in the form of shootings, following the dissolution of specialised local patrol teams known as Koban units. These units, modeled on Japan’s community policing system, were tasked with tackling street crime and violent theft.

Originally funded by local municipalities, the Koban units were dismantled in 2021 and 2022 due to high operational costs that became unsustainable during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Since their removal, the police report a doubling in shooting incidents in 2024 compared to previous years and a near tripling projected for 2025 in areas formerly covered by these teams.

The Koban brigades had long served as a central pillar in Brussels Midi’s crime prevention strategy. However, budget cuts forced their disbandment despite their close collaboration with local communities and authorities. Law enforcement data indicates a significant rise in violent incidents, including 43 shootings in Anderlecht alone between January and mid-March 2024, in the absence of these units.

Police officers stress that other districts in Brussels have retained similar specialised teams, giving those areas an advantage in managing organised crime and drug-related violence. In contrast, the Midi zone now struggles against a growing wave of drug trafficking and inter-gang violence, believed to be exacerbated by inflated drug prices and fewer enforcement interventions since the Koban units were shut down.

Local police have issued a formal call for the reinstatement of the Koban brigades to stem the rising tide of violence and restore security in affected neighborhoods.

What Is Driving the Surge in Shootings in Brussels’ Midi Zone?

The Brussels Midi police zone, which includes the communes of Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles, and Forest, has seen a sharp increase in violence following the dissolution of the Koban neighborhood policing units between 2021 and 2022. These units had been in operation since the early 2000s with a focus on street-level drug and crime prevention, using a model inspired by Japanese policing systems.

Post-pandemic budget constraints compelled city officials to withdraw funding for the Koban units. Since their departure, police reports indicate that gun violence surged by 50% in 2024 across the three municipalities and is expected to increase by 70% in 2025. The district of Anderlecht alone recorded 43 shooting incidents in the first quarter of 2024.

Police attribute this trend to a breakdown in policing capacity, specifically the lack of targeted units capable of directly disrupting criminal operations. The gap left by the Koban units allowed drug networks to expand, igniting more frequent and violent turf wars among rival gangs.

Previously, Koban operations had helped reduce drug market activity and associated violence by intercepting trafficking routes and establishing strong community ties. Their absence has coincided with escalating violent crime, especially in high-risk neighborhoods like Cureghem in Anderlecht and Porte de Hal in Saint-Gilles.

Unlike other parts of Brussels that continue to benefit from dedicated anti-crime units, the Midi zone’s lack of similar resources has led to unease among residents and authorities. With public safety increasingly under threat, pressure is mounting on municipal leaders to reconsider the decision to dismantle the Koban units and reinstate a more localized, effective policing model.