About twenty Flemish municipalities still do not have a local integrated safety cell (LIVC-R). This became apparent during an exchange of views in the Radicalization Committee of the Flemish Parliament.
The security cells were created in the aftermath of the airport and subway attacks. Each municipality was asked to set up a consultation platform to detect and monitor people who become radicalized at an early stage. The police and welfare services, among others, can consult with each other without violating their professional secrecy.
However, about twenty municipalities have still not established a LIVC-R, including some larger municipalities such as Bruges, according to an explanation from the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG) on Wednesday. In a recent survey, several municipalities even indicated that they did not know what a LIVC-R entails. “Every municipality should have a LIVC-R,” said Minister of Internal Affairs Gwendolyn Rutten (Open VLD) in parliament. “You shouldn’t let it get to this point until it’s too late.”
In the aftermath of the attack on Swedish football supporters in Brussels in October, all municipalities were once again contacted to raise their awareness.
In municipalities that do have a LIVC-R, socio-preventive actors, such as welfare workers and street workers, sometimes refuse to participate. “I think it is very important that they participate,” said Minister of Justice Zuhal Demir (N-VA). “But it is an observation that they do not do so in large numbers. I am in favor of an obligation, but that is not currently foreseen.”
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