Law enforcement in Belgium

Both forces are autonomous and subordinate to different authorities, but linked in regard to reciprocal support, recruitment, manpower mobility and common training.

A Belgian parliamentary report into a series of pedophile murders accused the police of negligence, amateurism and incompetence in investigating the cases.

It aims to restore public confidence in the police force and of improve the objective and subjective feeling of security in communities.

The rank insignia are rectangular plates that are worn on the left pocket flap of the uniform shirt, fleece, sweater, jacket, coat and/or bulletproof vest.

When performing public order maintenance operations (e.g. demonstrations and riots), police personnel wear a helmet in situations with increased risk of violence.

The helmet is plain white for inspectors (rank equivalent to police officer/constable) who function as section members during public order operations.

Chief-inspectors (who function as section chiefs) wear white helmets with one blue stripe running from back to front.

This is to prevent malevolent persons from identifying and subsequently threatening or harassing them as a revenge for being the subject of police operations.

Two vehicles of the Belgian police: Federal on the left (two orange stripes on the bonnet and a single one on the side) and local on the right (light blue stripes)
Logo of the Belgian Federal Police (note the orange line)
French logo of the Belgian local police forces (note the light-blue line)
A local police car in Nalinnes
Local police officers (recognisable by the light blue lines on the left side of the uniform, as on the motorcycle) with the former US Secretary of State John Kerry .