© Image Police
Behind the festive splendour of Luxembourg's throne accession celebrations, over 300 police officers and emergency responders worked in close coordination from a central command post to ensure the safety of the Grand Ducal family, guests, and the public without a single incident.
Within the Police Command Post (PC), all major decisions were made throughout the ceremony. If the safety of the royal family, high-ranking visitors, or citizens were ever at risk, the Special Unit of the Police (USP) would have been called into action. It was a major logistical challenge requiring precise coordination and organisation.
The Command Post
Inside the command post, representatives from all the key police units were present: from the road police and USP to the canine squad. Liaison officers from the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS), as well as a representative from the Grand Ducal Court, ensured constant communication between institutions.
Hervé Schoettert, Deputy Director of Operations, explained that the purpose of this central hub was to make sure all crucial information flowed quickly and accurately, allowing decisions to be made fast and based on facts.
Jan Niebelschütz, Head of the Operational Command Department at the CGDIS, added that both Friday and Saturday required large-scale deployments in Luxembourg City, with mobile foot patrols positioned to intervene swiftly wherever needed. Medical teams were also on site, with field doctors and nurses ready to treat anyone directly at the scene, he said.
The USP in the field
According to Christian Krettels, Commander of the USP, the mission extended beyond close protection. He explained that the unit was responsible for three main areas: protecting VIPs, securing the event, and maintaining daily policing operations. Ahead of the celebrations, teams had already carried out thorough sweeps of key areas, including complete explosive checks, to ensure safety from the start, he said.
Krettels explained that during the festivities, various specialised elements of the USP were positioned across the capital. He mentioned Quick Reaction Teams that were strategically deployed for immediate response in case of emergency. Krettels also said that snipers and counter-snipers covered different vantage points to ensure total visibility and tactical readiness, while drones hovered above the city, providing real-time aerial monitoring throughout the event zone.
Teamwork at every level
The success of the operation depended on seamless coordination between all the services involved. Thanks to the close cooperation between the Police, the CGDIS, and other national institutions, Luxembourg was able to host one of its most significant events in decades without a single major incident.
