Paris – Police: broad support to the reform increasing the flexibility of self-defence – The Express

The text defines a “common use” of weapons to both security forces, the police and the gendarmerie, aligning the first on the second.

The gendarmes, the military, currently have a greater margin of manoeuvre that the police officers, civilians, in self-defence.

This old demand of trade unions of police, has been at the heart of demonstrations of police officers, outside the framework of trade union, after the attack on the Molotov cocktail of four of them on October 8 at Viry-Châtillon (Essonne).

The bill, introduced to Parliament as early as January 2017, aims to “to unify the rules applicable” to the two forces of the order. The conditions of legitimate defence are different between them, both under the guardianship of the Interior.

The police are subjected practically to the same rules as ordinary citizens on self-defence. The gendarmes can do fire when they are attacked or threatened by armed individuals, “defend” an area which they occupy, if a summons repeated remain without effect, or to immobilize vehicles.

in Order to correct for this difference, several changes will be made, said Inside a “briefing” with the press on Wednesday. “The texts have evolved, police officers and gendarmes are faced with the same situations. We framed five and the State council has validated the project“.

the police will be able to “use their weapon after warnings” to stop a person recalcitrant and army for example.

This will also apply to customs officers and military personnel deployed in the framework of applications related to the counter-terrorism operation Sentinel, says the bill.

- “Not a license to kill” –

He invokes the “the context of intense mobilization of the internal security forces” to “to strengthen their protection“.

According to Beauvau, some 12,000 policemen were wounded in the intervention all year, including 500 by the balls. “This is not in the nature of police officers and constables to be insulted, injured, and even less to be killed“, says the Inside. “This project is so expected that we are going to give them the ability to go fast“.

The bill also provides for the anonymity of police officers and gendarmes “in case of a danger to them or their families” and the doubling of the penalties incurred in cases of outrage aligned on those provided for the magistrates.

It is considering other arrangements, such as the ability to arm private security guards – these guards of the body, according to Beauvau – “engaged in activities of protection” of those who are threatened.

The government has committed to respond to the demonstrations, police plan public safety of 250 million euros of additional funds.

It is completed by the legislative presented council, which enjoys wide support in the political class and the police unions.

Benoist Appeared, mp, LR, said on Wednesday on BFMTV and RMC that “all right” during the primary, had “made this request“. “I see the content of the text” and if he “will” the direction being displayed, “I’m going to vote“.

Eric Ciotti, another mp, LR, is “felicity” “this positive first step” regretting “the time lost by the government“.

For the national Front it is a “timid and belated step forward for the police” who “does not meet their expectations“. It is a “half measure,” said Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, president of Standing the France.

For the union of the officers of the internal security (SCSI-CFDT, majority) “fifteen years of struggle have been necessary for that pragmatism and reason outweigh the conservatismes“.

To Patrice Ribeiro, of the Synergie-Officiers (second union), it was “wait to get shot to return fire“. The project “reframe things” and “is not a licence to kill,” according to him. “there are safeguards in place” and “european legislation to which we are adapting“.