Police officers now allowed to have jobs on the side

From now on serving police officers will be allowed to have a second job. Previously only administrative or logistical staff that work for the police service were allowed to moonlight by either doing paid or voluntary work. This has now been extended to all that work for the local and federal police services.

The news appears in Tuesday’s edition of the daily ‘Le Soir’. However, they are still be banned from doing some jobs on the side such as working as security guards.  

The rules regarding doing additional jobs have been simply reversed. Previously police officers were banned from second jobs with a few exception. Now they are allowed to take a second job, although than can be forbidden from doing so in some circumstances. This is something that the unions representing police officers have long advocated.

The Interior Minister Jan Jambon (Flemish nationalist) was also in favour and now the changes have gone through. Any police officer wishing to take a second job must tell his/her local authority. The local authority has 45 days to raise any ethical objections.     

Which jobs are still out of bounds?

Which jobs remain out of bounds for serving police officers? "Security related jobs such as security guard or ambulance driver are definitely not allowed” Vincent Houssin of the liberal police union VSOA said.

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