In December last year, the fight against crime took a new turn in the Alpes-Maritimes region. A local branch of the GIR (Regional Intervention Group) was established to tackle the underground economy (drug trafficking, etc.) and the violence associated with it.
Among all the aspects mentioned, there are a few negatives. In 2008, instances of credit card fraud increased by 8.8%. Criminals use a new method that originates from Eastern Europe. At ATMs, these fraudsters capture the confidential number by hacking the machine or installing tiny cameras, then “create fake cards before using them abroad in the following days,” explains Pierre-Marie Bourniquel, Director General of Public Security.
Strong Increase in Willful Assault and Battery
There has been a resurgence of assaults on people, notably an increase of almost 15% in cases of willful assault and battery. Deliberate attacks on physical integrity and armed robberies are also up by 3%. Citizen safety will be one of the main challenges for law enforcement in 2009, as in addition to the local residents, the department hosts ten million visitors a year and “crime tends to be more evident than in the past. It’s a societal issue that must command our full attention,” comments Francis Lamy, the Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes.
This year has therefore seen the development of some new forms of violence, which were less prominent before. As cars become more protected, thieves are turning towards houses. Burglars enter homes of wealthy individuals without breaking in to steal jewelry, cash, valuables, and cars. This is known as home-jacking. Snatch thefts are on the rise: pickpockets, purse snatchers, etc.
Decrease in General Delinquency
To counter all forms of violence, adequate resources are obviously necessary. Personnel has been increased by 3%, and police stations and gendarmeries are emerging across the department. Cities are equipped with a high-performance video protection system. The Ministry of the Interior, through Michèle Alliot-Marie, plans to launch a significant communication campaign to eradicate this scourge as much as possible.
Since 2002, the Ministry of the Interior has drastically changed its approach to insecurity issues. General delinquency has decreased year after year: -2% in one year, -10% six years ago. It’s the same in public spaces: -10.9% and -36.3% over six years. Significant progress has been made in property security: nearly 4000 fewer property offenses than in 2007 and 2000 fewer burglaries. Similarly, urban violence has decreased by 22.5%, and school violence, one of the priority areas for the prefecture, has seen a significant decrease. Offenses against students are down by 6%, and those against teachers and institutions have halved. These results are satisfactory for the prefect: “The overall trend is downward. We are proud of this. Now, we need to try to capitalize on these successes to make further progress.” But isn’t this a David against Goliath battle? Will the recent demonstrations in support of the Gaza Strip have an impact on 2009? See you in a year.
