Brussels Honors Moroccan-Belgian Police Officer Killed on Duty as Colleague Breaks Down

In front of more than a thousand police officers gathered beneath the arches of the Cinquantenaire, a man breaks down in tears. He has just finished his speech in memory of Nordine El Talbi, his colleague and friend, who was killed three days earlier. The crowd applauds him for a long time. On a giant screen, the portrait of the 41-year-old inspector looms over the ceremony. On Friday, October 16, Brussels paid a final tribute to the father of two, who died in the line of duty, reports The Brussels Times, citing the Belga news agency.

On Bladi.net : Brussels Police Officer, 41, Fatally Shot During Car Theft Investigation

From 9 a.m., police officers had arrived from across Belgium. Uniformed officers, plainclothes investigators, special units and young recruits gathered to pay tribute to the man his colleagues nicknamed “James.” Two of them spoke about their years patrolling with Nordine, their shared interventions and a friendship that went beyond their professional lives.

Behind the nickname was a story of perseverance. Nordine had taken the selection tests for the anti-aggression squad six times before passing in 2019. His colleagues also called him “007,” a reference to James Bond. He would humorously remind them that he had taken the tests six times, not seven.

“He should have gone home to his loved ones”

The son of Moroccan immigrants, Nordine joined the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police force in 2009. His colleagues describe him as a courageous man, able to defuse tensions and earn the respect of local residents. “He knew Brussels like the back of his hand,” they said at the ceremony. Chief of Police Michel Goovaerts praised his professionalism and generosity, describing him as a true Brussels “ketje.”

Mayor Philippe Close recalled that the ceremony should never have taken place: Nordine should have gone home to his loved ones. Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin posthumously awarded him the First-Class Civic Cross, recognizing his courage, dedication and humanity.

Two black anti-aggression squad vehicles symbolically bore the inscriptions “Nordine” and “James.” At 11:30 a.m., the crowd observed a minute of silence, followed by a film retracing the police officer’s life. The Belgian national anthem rang out before a police helicopter flew over the arches of the Cinquantenaire.

Nordine was fatally shot in the head on the night of October 12 to 13 while searching for a stolen car in Jette. His death had already drawn around 2,000 people to Al-Amal Mosque in Anderlecht on Thursday for a prayer in his memory. A condolence book opened at Brussels City Hall was then to be handed to his family.