Police Nationale facts for kids
In France the Police Nationale (in English language national police) is the state component of public safety. In contrast to the Gendarmerie Nationale personal are all civilian functionnaries of the state. The Police Nationale has several very different sub-directorates, each responsible for specific missions. In 2014 more than 143 500 peoples were members of the Police Nationale.
Contents
Missions of the Police Nationale
In France the Police Nationale is responsible of many missions. The first and perhaps the most important is, in French language sécurité des personnes et des biens. It translation is safety of persons and property. This is the true role of each French police officer. Like many other police services in the world the Police Nationale has many other missions : counter-terrorism, riot operations, and sometime SAR missions on the French beaches and mountains, especially in the Alps.
Organization
The main directions of the Police Nationale are headquartered in Paris.
The Sécurité Publique
The Sécurité Publique (in English language Public Security) is responsible of all missions of police on the French territory. For each French department, there is a departmental office. Also for Corsica and overseas departments of France. The majority of police officers conduct their mission in uniform. However, some units have the ability to act in civilian clothes, they are called BAC, for Brigade Anti-Criminalité.
The Police aux Frontières
It's the branch of the Police Nationale in charge of the fight against illegal immigration. The Police aux Frontières or PAF (in English language Border Police) is present in all French airports, important railway stations, and harbours. The PAF is also present for the security of the famous Channel Tunnel.
The Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité
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The Compagnie Républicaine de Sécurité, or CRS, is one of the famous direction of the Police Nationale. It's the riot unit. It's also the police directorate in charge of beaches and mountains SAR. Finally, the CRS are involved in the fight against road crime, on French motorways.
The Police Judiciaire
The Police Judicaire, or PJ, is in charge of criminal investigations. It is also in charge of the scientific police.
The Service de la Protection
The Service de la Protection, or SDLP, is the service of official bodyguards. The SDLP (or in English language Protection Service) is in charge of security of heads of state of the French Republic. In 2015 President of the French Republic François Hollande, French Prime minister Manuel Valls and all ministers are under protection of SDLP police officer. Some foreign ambassadors, like ambassador of United Kingdom, USA, or Israel are also under protection when they are in France.
The RAID
The RAID (acronym for Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion) is the special unit of the Police Nationale. Made famous in 1993 by a hostage-taking at a school in Neuilly-sur-Seine, it is the elite unit of the Police Nationale. Its members are almost all snipers.
Vehicles
If the Police National has not helicopter it has many cars, vans, motorbikes, boats and special vehicles. When police officers need to use an helicopter, they call the Sécurité Civile and their red and yellow Eurocopter EC145. Cars of the Police Nationale are made by Citroën, Dacia, Ford, Peugeot, and Renault. Motorbikes are BMW and Yamaha.
Images for kids
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Colour guard of the General Directorate of the National Police, 2013 Bastille Day parade, Paris
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SP 2022, the present standard issued sidearm of French police officers.
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Intervention in 2020 of a police team in Courbevoie. Policemen are equipped with tasers.
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Police in the process of combing.
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Police in the process of combing.
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See also
In Spanish: Policía Nacional de Francia para niños
