Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, and Frédéric Foncel, President of the National Union of Municipal Police, presented, in Paris, during a press conference, the 1st National Meetings of the Municipal Police, which will be held in Nice on June 16, 2011, with a theme: “The role of the Municipal Police in the global security framework.”
Why in Nice?
Christian Estrosi, as is well-known, is constantly seeking novelty, which allows him to seize every event, if not create them when necessary. This new event is a case in point: the security axis (and its possible demagogic drift) is a vast feeding ground where everyone can find their own oats…
Moreover, it is evident that the municipal police unions were looking for a political sponsor to assert their rights and reasons, which, as we understand, are not always well comprehended by the overseeing Ministry that assigns them a precarious and poorly complementary role with other public order prevention and intervention bodies, the National Police and the Gendarmerie. From there, putting two and two together was but a step already taken by the Mayor of Nice on the Côte d’Azur with agreements made between Nice’s municipal police and their local counterparts.
Placed under the presidency of Claude Guéant, Minister of the Interior, Overseas, Local Authorities, and Immigration, these meetings will bring together Mayors from both the right and the left, Municipal Police Officers from across France and their representatives, as well as the institutions responsible for their training and management.
For the first time, Elected Officials and their Municipal Police Officers will gather to assess their actions in serving their fellow citizens’ security. A significant portion will be dedicated to debates, exchanges, and proposals.
Since 1999, the Municipal Police have had a status ensuring a career progression and clearly defining their competencies, yet their expectations remain high in terms of professional and social recognition.
Why these meetings?
Numbering around 4,000 in the 1980s, Municipal Police Officers have grown to nearly 20,000 today. 11% of public security personnel are on the field.
3,500 Mayors have a Municipal Police (in contrast to 1,700 Mayors in 1980).
The Municipal Police was established in less than 15 years, and today, Municipality Police Officers play an increasingly significant role in the public security framework in France.
As the third public security force, it has a status, and a “Police” security field exists within the Territorial Public Service.
THE PARTICIPANTS
The Meetings will be held under the presidency of the Minister of the Interior, Overseas, Local Authorities, and Immigration, Claude GUEANT, who will deliver the closing speech.
The invited attendees will be the 3,500 Mayors and their Municipal Police Directors, or their representatives.
With participation from:
• All unions, notably those represented at the Superior Council of the Territorial Public Service: CGT / FO / CFDT / CFTC-SNPM / UNSA / FA-FPT,
• The President of the AMF (Association of Mayors of France), or their representative,
• The AMGVF (Association of Large French Cities),
• The FMVM (Federation of Mayors of Medium-sized Cities),
• The APVF (Association of Small French Towns),
• The CNFPT (National Center for Territorial Public Service)
• Services of the Ministry of the Interior, overseeing Ministry: DGPN / DGPN / IGA / DGCL.
