The Ardennes police department will move into new headquarters, a construction project expected to be completed by 2026.
MP André Bauler from the Democratic Party recently filed a parliamentary inquiry concerning the presence of the Grand Ducal Police in the rural parts of the Grand Duchy.
In a joint response, Minister for Mobility and Public Works François Bausch and Minister of Internal Security Henri Kox announced that the police will receive new headquarters in Wiltz. At the moment, the Ardennes police department is located on Rue du Château. The building is no longer able to fulfill the requirements of the growing force. Furthermore, it is not up to date in terms of security and energy efficiency.
To make room for the new HQ, the old building of the gendarmerie on Avenue Nicolas Kreins first needs to be torn down.
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Thierry Hirtz from the Public Buildings Administration provided insight into the details of the site: "There is a combined surface area of 5,150 square meters. The police will have room for 30 officers and there will be additional space for an estimated 45 educational staff. The investment amounts to €22 million."
Construction is scheduled to begin by mid 2023 and last for three years. Officials explained that the reason for housing police and members of the Ministry of Education in the same building is that they want to maximise the use of the site.
Asked about the possibility of dangerous situations arising from the immediate proximity between police HQ and local primary school, Hirtz stressed that the access roads to each site will be clearly separated: "Furthermore, Avenue Nicolas Kreins is a quiet street in terms of traffic. There will be two parking spots in front of the building, allowing police to quickly drive away toward Route de Kautenbach."
The former gendarmerie building, which is not protected by monument conservation laws, has been vacant since early 2021. The building currently housing the Ardennes police department belongs to the municipality of Wiltz, which intends to repurpose it once the police has moved out.
