23, 24 & 25 APRIL 2024
23, 24 & 25 Tuesday 10 May
After 20 years the current policing model is coming under increasing pressure. Police work is challenged by new social and technological developments. The Minister for Home Affairs Annelies Verlinden therefore took the initiative, together with a number of key partners, to organise a General Convention of the Police.
What is the General Convention of the Police?
The General Convention of the Police is a unifying umbrella project bringing together all the key partners and stakeholders. It identifies the challenges facing the police and makes policy recommendations. The ultimate purpose is to achieve a more modern and dynamic police force based on a renewed vision and approach. The key partners and stakeholders are thus coming together to create the police of the future.
When?
On Tuesday 10 May 2022, an interim update will be given during INFOPOL I XPO112, in the presence of the Minister for Home Affairs Annelies Verlinden and all the key partners and stakeholders. After the event, a visit to INFOPOL I XPO112 is planned.
Key partners
The Minister for Home Affairs works together with a number of key partners. These partners contribute the necessary expertise and are responsible for many of the substantive activities, taking the form of round tables, seminars, study days and workshops.
Key partners:
The vzw Centrum voor Politiestudies (CPS)
The vzw Circle of Police Leadership (CPL)
The asbl Centre d’études de la police (CEP)
The integrated police coordination committee (CC GPI)
The Security and Prevention Directorate-General of the FPS Home Affairs
By invitation only.
WEDNESDAY 11 MAY
The police service has followed the ‘negotiated management of public space’ principle (=GBOR) at public demonstrations since the 1990s. In recent times, however, a new issue has arisen in tandem with social media, and that is the New Way of Protesting (yellow vests in France, climate change protests over here, Black Lives Matter, La Boum and the anti-CST demonstrations). The police service finds itself having to cope with this new way of protesting. For that reason, the concept was included as a strategic objective under the police management of public space programme in the new National Security Plan (NVP) and made it into the Minister of the Interior's general policy programme. And, in 2021, a working group on this theme was established in the integrated police services with a view to producing specific actions and recommendations in 2025. A number of pertinent issues will be raised at the NWoP symposium:
13:00 – 13:15
Introduction of CPL + intro to NWoP symposium
Circle of Police Leadership is a platform of reflection for top police-officials and A-grade CALOG staff. An organisation in which leaders get to meet without geographical or operational restriction. CPL aims to contribute constructively to high-quality policing care and to help support policing policy.
Explanation of ‘NWoP’: we have seen a recent increase in protests that end in senseless violence. The fundamental democratic rules of play appear to disintegrate. A new policing approach must be developed on the principles of a negotiated management of public space (GBOR).
Speaker: J-L Dalle - CPL chair - Chief of Police for the Gavers Policing Zone
Language: NL
13:20 – 13:50
General context as to how and why members of the public protest
How and why do members of the public protest? What phenomena trigger protest? How and why does a shift in the enforcement of public order take place? What has changed? How can the police respond?
Speaker: Evelien De Pauw - researcher & lecturer at Vives University College
Language: NL
13:55 – 14:25
GBOR and NWoP on the ground
How in practice can the negotiated management of public space be prepared, implemented and assessed by the forces of law and order in a large city?
Speaker: Daniël Van Calck – Commissioner - Public Demonstration Case Manager - Brussels Capital-Elsene Policing Zone
Language: NL
14:30 – 15:00
Limits of GBOR in the NWoP context
Test of the limits of the negotiated management of public space (GBOR) in the context of NWoP.
Speaker: Aline Lefèvre - Direct Interventions Chief - Brussels Capital–Elsene Policing Zone
Language: FR
15:05 – 15:35
La gestion de l’information dans le cadre NWoP
La loi sur la fonction de police, les directives et les méthodes de travail imposent de maîtriser la gestion de l’information liée aux événements. La police locale est aujourd’hui l’acteur clé dans la gestion négociée de l’espace public. Or, lorsque la concertation est impossible avec l’organisateur d’une manifestation, quels sont les moyens permettant aux services de police et aux autorités administratives d’évaluer l’ampleur de l’événement et les outils de sécurité à mettre en œuvre ?
Speaker: Laurent Van Doren - Chief of Police for the Charleroi Policing Zone
Language : FR
15:40 – 16:10
NWoP in the USA - Intelligence collection and recognition of pre-attack indicators at violent protests in the USA
Intelligence collection and pre-attack indicators used by the FBI in preparing for high profile trails that could have devolved into violent activity.
Speaker: Jaimie E. Rohrbaugh - Assistant Special Agent in charge - FBI Minneapolis (USA)
Language: ENG
16:15 – 16:45
Role and vision of the administrative government in NWoP
As the guardian of public order the mayor plays an important role. Mayor Charles Picqué explains how he works with police services to achieve this task.
Speaker: Charles Picqué - Mayor for Sint-Gillis
Language: FR
17:00
End
CONTINUOUSLY
