For the past two and a half months, municipal police officers have been patrolling Luxembourg City, including the Gare district and Bonnevoie, to increase police engagement with the community on a day-to-day basis.
Listen to the report in Luxembourgish:
At 7 am on Friday, two men who were sleeping in the entrance of a shop and were awoken by three municipal officers: "Time to wake up," they announced. Encounters like these have become part of the police officer's morning duties.
Since July 1, 20 officers have been patrolling the streets between 6 am and 10 pm to convey a more visible and approachable presence.
"We are specifically here for the citizens," says Mensur, one of the officers assigned to community policing for the week. Unlike regular police patrols, a community police officer focuses on non-emergency situations. In the case of a serious crime, additional police units are quickly called in. According to initial feedback, this allows for officers to have more time to engage with residents and to address their immediate concerns.
Their duties range from checking car parks for drug-related activity to ensuring lorries can pass through smoothly during morning deliveries. At the same time, these officers enforce the city's begging ban, particularly focusing on aggressive behaviour.
"When people are really harassing citizens, actively asking for money, we take action," explained Yves Mousel, police director for the capital region. Those involved in aggressive begging behaviour are fined, whereas individuals begging passively - solely using a cup, for example - are reminded of the prohibition.
As the day progresses, officers encounter drug-related issues or minor disputes.
The intitiative has received positive feedback from the public. Andy, a municipal officer highlights how people have come up to him and expressed that "they are happy to see so many police officers on foot". Indeed, this initiative seems to create a different kind of presence compared to police cars.
Finding officers to cover these patrol shifts has not been too big of a challenge, according to Mousel, although some officers, like Michel, prefer more traditional police work. "I am more used to interventions, but this new approach takes some getting used to. After all, it really helps officers to build a better understanding of a neighbourhood and its residents".
The community policing initiative is still in its pilot phase until the end of 2024. Regular adjustments are being made based on feedback, with weekly open discussions between the police directorate and the mayor of Luxembourg City, Lydie Polfer, to address any concerns.
