In the summer of 2019, the municipality of Differdange decided to hire two private security guards to help patrol the city at night and prevent acts of vandalism. Mayor Christiane Rausch (The Greens) explained that Differdange had a number of parks, playgrounds, and school grounds that had repeatedly been damaged. She also noted that there was an undeniable discomfort among citizens who do not feel safe in the city.
Differdange is further plagued with the drug trade, although the problem is much smaller scale than in Luxembourg City. "It is an issue we cannot ignore," Mayor Rausch concluded.
CSV councilman Robert Mangen, who is in charge of the city's safety, explained that there is a dark underground passage near the train station which people tend to avoid: "It is an obscure and narrow tunnel which does not look very inviting. We therefore made arrangements so that people can be accompanied when passing through."
So far, the private security guards had to intervene around 1,100 times. 650 of those were considered minor incidents. 350 cases involved drugs and on 150 occasions, the guards had to call the police for reinforcement. "Overall, our experiences have been good. The guards are discreet and respect the limits of their authority", Mangen stated.
Nevertheless, Mangen also hopes that the police presence in Differdange will eventually be reinforced so that the private security firm remains an interim solution, rather than a permanent presence on Differdange's streets.
Private security guards are not a solution to the problem: Héloïse Bock
