The ambition of the mayor of Nice is to make Nice a showcase for tourists and provide residents with the most comfortable living environment possible. The battle is tough against a population that too often lacks civility and, regarding respect for rules and others, does not seem to feel particularly concerned.
In short, even though caution against generalization is necessary, much remains to be done, and concerns about the situation sinking into a mediocrity which in the past might have been called “aurea,” but is now unbearable, are growing.
Mitigating incivilities is therefore a priority, and to achieve this goal, Christian Estrosi is betting on a substantial and better-organized municipal police force structured around a territorial specialization plan, which should foster better relations with citizens and, needless to say, shopkeepers.
Buoyed by the successful implementation of the FRAP for collecting items destined for disposal and the new LAC Brigade (formerly the Environment Brigade) composed of police officers and ASVP, this urban and suburban protection unit is tasked with addressing all attacks on the environment and living conditions from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week.
Christian Estrosi, accompanied by Philippe Pradal, his first deputy, and Pierre-Paul Leonelli, the head of city cleanliness, by this initiative, aims to communicate with citizens and raise awareness about everyone’s rights and duties regarding urban cleanliness, respect for public infrastructure, and environmental protection.
Following the educational aspect, there will also be a punitive measure: fines ranging from 11 to 1,500 euros per infringement should deter the most obstinate individuals.
Christian Estrosi, not shying away from criticizing the governmental policy that, according to him, “acts to create problems for local authorities”(?), takes a decisive stance: “With the LAC, we act even more profoundly through the speed of intervention.”
In turn, the opposition is very critical of the new initiative from the mayor of Nice, which they view as populist. Gaël Nofri, municipal councilor from the Nice Bleu Marine citizen list and new member of the Local Security and Delinquency Prevention Council, does not hold back his criticism of the city’s security policy: “The assessment is clear; despite the resources deployed, Nice is last, alongside Marseille, among the 50 largest urban areas in France in terms of security. Among the 408 urban areas, it ranks 401st in property crime and 393rd in physical violence. I believe that excessive communication today prevents a real understanding of the issue.”
What is “certain” is that we have not heard the last of it…
