Let agents take weapons home, urge police unions

Belgian police agents should be allowed to take their service weapons home with them, even when off-duty, police unions said on Tuesday in various Belgian media. Many agents would like to remain armed at all times due to recent terrorist threats following last week’s attacks in Paris which left 12 dead.

The unions refer to recent threats picked up on social media by radical Islamic terrorist organisation IS, which targeted Belgian police agents. The unions claim that allowing the officers to keep their service weapons on them at all times is a critical measure because theoretically the agents are on duty 24 hours a day. They are also expected to intervene in dangerous situations, even when dressed in civilian clothes.

Until 2005, Belgian agents were allowed to take their weapons home with them. But the rule was abolished because the weapons were increasingly being used in family dramas and other private affairs.