Security in trains and stations of the TER ZOU network was at the heart of a training organized in Nice by the Regional Transport Guard. About fifteen reserve gendarmes learned how to intervene effectively in this environment considered particularly complex.
In a car of the Train des Merveilles immobilized at the Saint-Roch railway site in Nice, the scene seems almost real. Facing a gendarme playing the role of a passenger who refuses to present his ticket, two reserve gendarmes intervene. The man protests, raises his voice. A few seconds later, the military personnel restrain him and escort him toward the exit of the car. Around them, about fifteen reservists observe the scene. The exercise is part of a training designed to strengthen security in regional trains.
Learning to intervene in a constrained environment
Supervised by SNCF railway security, the training is based on concrete scenario simulations. In the narrow space of the car, the reservists learn how to control a reluctant passenger or manage an incident on board. Nicolas, a trainer during the session, recalls the specifics of this type of intervention. “A train moves. We are in a confined space with very little room,” he explains to the reservists during the debriefing.
After an initial demonstration with a passenger refusing to comply, the gendarmes repeat the technical movements. Positioning, maintaining distance, coordination between agents: each movement is analyzed before a second attempt. “This is not a profession you can improvise. It takes practice,” the trainer insists. For SNCF, the objective is to transmit to the reservists the specifics of railway intervention.
Florian Bou, deputy director of railway security for the Mediterranean zone, highlights the constraints of this particular area of operations. “Intervening in a TER car means intervening in a restricted space sometimes with high traffic, which complicates professional intervention,” he explains. “The idea is to share with them our intervention techniques in this very specific environment.“
Reinforced security measures in regional trains
This training is part of the Regional Transport Guard, a system launched in 2022 by Région Sud to strengthen security in trains and stations. Since its creation, reserve gendarmes have been supplementing the railway security forces. Vice-President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region in charge of security, Véronique Borré recalls the objectives of the system. “It is an innovative agreement that allows us to have more than 1,500 days of reservists in the region’s trains,” she explains in front of the Train des Merveilles.
According to the Region, this additional presence would improve security in transport. Each year, approximately 400 arrests are made thanks to these patrols. “If we look at last year’s figures, for crimes against persons, we have a 17% decrease, and for crimes against property, it is practically 20%,” she adds. The system represents regional funding of approximately 420,000 euros per year.
Reservists mobilized alongside the gendarmerie
The reservists are integrated into patrols and deployed in several departments of the region. Jean-Baptiste Jouany, assistant officer at the command of the Alpes-Maritimes gendarmerie group, explains that these missions also constitute an opportunity for volunteers.
“Reservists know in advance that they will be able to complete a certain number of reserve days in the year,” he states. Since the system was established, 49 reservists have already been trained to intervene in stations and trains of the regional network.
