Head of Unit - Prevention and Public Safety, City of Mechelen (Belgium)

Werner Van Herle studied at the University of Brussels and graduated as a criminologist in 1997. He started his career at the Ministry of Home Affairs as project officer for crime prevention in Flemish cities. Between 2002 and 2013 he worked as a local coordinator of the prevention team in Mechelen. Since 2013 he has led the Department of Prevention and Public Safety of the city. His department advises the city council on prevention and security strategies, tackling issues like community safety, persistent juvenile crime, radicalisation, illicit drug trafficking and street harassment among others. Participation, fostering social cohesion, consequent law enforcement together with a re-integration strategy for vulnerable offenders are the main features of Mechelen’s urban prevention approach.