The updated GAS regulation, already approved by four of the five municipal councils, will be presented to the Glabbeek municipal council on Thursday, November 12. This regulation outlines sanctions for violations related to public cleanliness, safety, order, alarm notifications, animals, itinerant trade, and public spaces.
The revision was necessary for the implementation of the new penal code (Sw). For instance, additional articles have been included concerning the prohibition of face coverings in public spaces (articles 423-424 Sw) and vandalism (article 514 Sw). A new article has also been introduced to prohibit noise nuisance, both day and night, when it is caused by a lack of foresight and precaution and disrupts the peace of residents. The age limit of 16 years for infringements of the regulation has been maintained.
According to the involved municipalities, the decision to maintain a uniform GAS regulation within the PZ Hageland was a deliberate choice to simplify the work of police officers on the ground. The renewal was required for the updated penal code and also includes some minor adjustments recommended by the police services themselves after evaluation.
The municipalities emphasize that the regulation is not intended to organize a 'witch hunt' or to impose fines en masse. Its primary goal is to enable action against petty crime and nuisance. Most GAS fines are still issued for illegal dumping, a problem that courts rarely prosecute anymore. Through fines and high cleanup costs, which in Glabbeek can amount to up to 1,000 euros, they aim to curb persistent illegal dumping.
