National Drugs Commissioner (Belgium)

After getting her degree in Law, Ine Van Wymersch started her professional career as a lawyer in Brussels. She did an internship with the Brussels police, before becoming a public prosecutor at the Brussels Prosecutors’ Office. For almost ten years, she dealt with cases of juvenile crime, child abuse, sexual offences, missing people and homicide. These criminal cases in particular demand extra special care and attention for the victims and their relatives, but also for the offenders. Ine Van Wymersch often expressed herself as being a defender of, and strong believer in, sensemaking punishments, including therapy for offenders to avoid more victims by realising a long-term behaviour change on the offender’s side. She combined her work as a public prosecutor with the role of spokesperson for the Brussels Prosecutors’ Office. After the Brussels attacks in 2016, she received a reward from the Belgian journalists as “Spokesperson of the year” for her professionalism, clear communication and availability. In March 2019, she became Chief Prosecutor for the Region Halle-Vilvoorde, the area surrounding Brussels. Four years later, this experienced, talented magistrate who is also a smart communicator, became the first national drug commissioner. With her team she coordinates the fight against organised crime; an undeniably challenging job.