Brussels Drug Commissioner to Take Office in September

Brussels will have a regional drug commissioner in place by the end of September, as the capital grapples with a surge in drug-related violence. Eleven candidates are currently undergoing an assessment process, with the top eight advancing to interviews before a bilingual selection commission, according to RTBF.

The appointment comes at a critical moment for the Brussels-Capital Region, which has recorded at least 66 shootings since January 2026. The violence escalated dramatically in late August, including an attack on the Anderlecht police station with automatic weapons and multiple shootings in Saint-Gilles over consecutive days.

A Coordinator, Not a Super Cop

The new commissioner will not be a police chief in the traditional sense. Rather, the role is designed as a representative of the Brussels Region working within safe.brussels, the regional body responsible for security and prevention. The commissioner’s mandate focuses on coordination, strategic steering, monitoring, and impetus—respecting the competencies of existing actors.

“Given the scourge of drugs our Region is experiencing, the goal is truly to have a person who will coordinate all the actors on a daily basis,” Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès told RTBF. “That will be their first and essential mission. The idea is that they can work with the communes, police chiefs, mayors, the federal level, but also address not just the security aspect, but also prevention regarding addictions. It’s a very broad mission, but we need it like bread in Brussels.”

The commissioner will not substitute for the public prosecutor’s office, police services, or municipalities. One of the first tasks will be drafting an integrated plan based on the Global Security and Prevention Plan of Safe Brussels, and defining a regional strategy for managing the 18 drug hotspots identified across Brussels neighborhoods.

A Role Born of Political Pressure

The path to this appointment was not straightforward. The position was initially promised in the Regional Policy Declaration presented in February 2026, following the formation of a seven-party coalition after 613 days of political impasse. However, in May 2026, Dilliès announced there would be no separate drug commissioner, arguing that strong coordination between existing actors would suffice.

Following pressure from coalition partners—particularly CD&V’s Benjamin Dalle—the government reversed course on 16 June 2026 and confirmed the creation of the position, as BRUZZ reported. The commissariat carries a budget of 1.5 million euros per year starting in 2027.

“The ultimate success will not depend on a title or an organigram, but on whether we manage to actually reduce the nuisance, violence and insecurity associated with drug trafficking,” Dalle said, as quoted by BRUZZ. “The drug commissioner must have sufficient authority to bring administrations and governments to the table, organize cooperation and monitor the implementation of an integrated drug policy.”

The Recruitment Process

The job posting, published on talent.brussels, required candidates with university master’s degrees or high-ranking statutory officials from regional, community, federal administrations, police, or justice. Applicants needed at least five years of experience in at least two areas: public security, crisis management affecting public order, coordination between different levels of government, and justice.

The role demands a “strong capacity to resist pressure,” carries “high political and media visibility,” and requires “neutrality and discretion.” Good Dutch language skills are considered an asset. The position is for a five-year term, renewable once, with remuneration at the A400 salary scale.

The selection commission comprises six members: Minister-President Boris Dilliès, Brussels Public Prosecutor Julien Moinil, drug policy professor Charlotte Colman of Ghent University, safe.brussels Director General Sophie Lavaux, Brussels-Ixelles police chief Michel Goovaerts, and National Drug Commissioner Ine Van Wymersch.

Interviews before the commission will take place during the second half of September, after which the Council of Ministers must validate the winner and the start date.

Skepticism from Experts

Not everyone is convinced the new position will deliver results. Michaël Dantinne, criminologist and professor at the University of Liège, questioned whether creating a new post alone can solve the problem.

“Creating a position has never, by itself, resolved a problem,” Dantinne told RTBF. “A job description tells us nothing about what this function will bring, nor about the certainty that the person who fills it will have a positive effect on the problem.”

Dantinne warned of the danger of “announcement effects rather than real effectiveness,” noting that there is already a national drug commissioner. He suggested the real test will be whether the commissioner has actual power to act, not just a consultative role.

Opposition voices have also raised concerns. Mathias Vanden Borre of the N-VA criticized what he called a duplication of the federal drug commissioner’s role, questioning whether the 1.5 million euro budget represents “a unified security policy or a Brussels-island mentality,” as reported by BRUZZ.

Broader Security Measures

The commissioner’s appointment is part of a wider security response. Following the CORES meeting on 26 August, authorities announced 40 additional police officers, 20 mobile cameras, and permanent coordination, as VRT NWS reported. A budget of 68 million euros is allocated to security and prevention in 2026, and shared e-scooters will be banned from 1 January 2027, partly due to their use as escape vehicles in crimes.

Mayors have reacted with cautious optimism mixed with calls for more resources. Philippe Close, mayor of Brussels City, emphasized the signal of unity: “We show that we work together and that everyone takes their responsibilities,” he said, as quoted by RTL Info. Olivier Maingain, mayor of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, was more critical, arguing that “the problem in Brussels is not an organizational problem of services, it’s a lack of personnel.”

What to Watch

As the selection process moves toward its conclusion, several questions remain. Will the commissioner have genuine authority to coordinate across the complex Brussels institutional landscape? How will the role interact with the existing federal drug commissioner? And can the new position help reverse the trend of escalating drug violence that has gripped the capital?

Dilliès acknowledged the stakes. “I have no illusions,” he said, as quoted by BRUZZ. “Drug commissioner or not: I will be blamed if the shootings continue. I am the target, I can live with that.”

With interviews scheduled for the second half of September and entry into service planned for the end of the month, the coming weeks will determine whether this new role becomes a meaningful tool in Brussels’ fight against drug-related violence—or another layer of coordination in an already crowded institutional landscape.