Luxembourg strengthens police presence but recognises workload problems
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Against a backdrop of rising citizen expectations for security, the Luxembourg government (Lëtzebuerg) has provided an update on police numbers and availability. In response to a parliamentary enquiry by MP Marc Goergen, Interior Minister Léon Gloden revealed details about the current state of policing in the Grand Duchy.
As of 1 January 2025, there are 3,241 police officers, of whom 2,505 are direct police officers on the ground and another 736 are civilian specialists. The growth of the criminal police unit (Service de police judiciaire) is particularly notable: since November 2023, 54 new officers have joined the unit, including 29 police officers and 25 civilian specialists, including experts in cyber and financial crime.
Of the 34 police stations in the country, 13 operate 24 hours a day, providing services to citizens 7 days a week. From May-June 2025, the police stations in the districts of Gare-Hollerich and Ettelbruck will join them and will also become 24-hour police stations.
The Ministry emphasises that thanks to the appointment system, citizens can be received at any time and the operational tasks of the police do not suffer.
Although the number of commissariats has increased by 10 per cent over the last three years to about 900, the Minister recognises that some commissariats are under pressure due to the size of the area served and the size of the population. This is reflected in the number of cases and workload, including participation in special operations and national level activities.
The Ministry endeavours to balance the distribution of personnel and continues to recruit new officers. However, it is emphasised that finding suitable candidates capable of successfully completing Police-Schoul training remains a major challenge.
The Ministry ensures that each of the country's four police regions has significantly more than four officers on duty at all times. They are additionally supported by national units - the criminal police (Service de police judiciaire), the traffic police (Police de la route) and the operational reserve (Unité de garde et d'appui opérationnel).
The pilot model of "local police" (Unité de Police locale) is also being actively developed. A pilot project launched in Esch and the capital allowed for 1,650 additional patrols in six months. This freed up the resources of the main commissariats for other tasks. A bill extending the project has already been approved by the Government on 7 March 2025.
