FRENCH AND RUSSIAN

POLICE MODELS
GROUP 5
FRANCE

- The French policing system is defined by its dualism, with two major national forces and a
local police force. The National Police under the Ministry of the Interior which is the main civil
law enforcement agency, with primary jurisdiction in cities and large towns, the Gendarmerie
under the Minister of Defense, with primary jurisdiction in smaller towns and rural and border
areas, and Municipal Police recruited by the Mayor and accredited by the District Attorney.
-The national police force was created on 14 August 1941, under the Vichy regime, by a decree
signed by the head of government, Philippe Pétain.
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Pétain (24 April 1856 – 23 July
1951)

-Petain was admitted to the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in 1873

and pursued a career in the military, achieving the rank of colonel
by the outbreak of World War I. He led the French Army to victory
at the nine-month-long Battle of Verdun, for which he was called
"the Lion of Verdun"
 Role of the Police in the French Criminal Justice System

French legal system distinguishes two main police functions,

• Administrative policing
• Judicial policing

Administrative Policing refers to all activities linked to the maintenance of public order. Its concerns
are more on defense of civil rights on a general level. While judicial policing is related to the detection
and repression of specific offenses that administrative policing was unable to prevent. Its concern is
more on the integrity of criminal procedure. The French criminal justice system is inquisitorial: A judge
is involved from the early stages in the collection and preparation of evidence by the police. It also
entails a secret, written, and noncontradictory procedure in the discovery of truth.
Investigators from the National Police and the Gendarmerie are divided in two groups with
different legal powers: Judicial Police Officers and Judicial Police Agents.

Judicial Police Officers are granted full investigative powers after having passed a legal
examination. While Judicial Police Agents include all rank and file police officers, who can
undertake basic investigative activities. Both need delegation of power from the judge to
undertake certain tasks such as detaining and interrogating suspects, entering and searching
premises, and seizing assets or intercepting telecommunications. However, certain deeds such
as interrogating suspects and confronting them with witnesses, designating experts, or issuing
warrants, cannot be delegated and must be carried out by the judges themselves.
 The National Police

- A General Director who answers directly to the Minister of the Interior head the National
Police. Appointed by the Cabinet, the General Director supervises and coordinates the work of
various directorates, which reflects the degree of specialization of the institution. Each
directorate is subdivided into central and local services, the latter being characterized by
important variations in terms of geographical jurisdiction.
 Directorates

• Administration Directorates of the National Police. In charge of human resources,

logistics, general administration and finances, as well as procurement.
• Training Directorates. It manages 33 police academies and training centers all over the
country.
• Central Directorates of the Judicial Police. Constitute the investigative arm of the
National Police and handles most criminal investigations. It deals mainly with murders,
drug trafficking, organized crime, white collar crime, human trafficking, and art of theft.
Also called to investigate in less serious cases.
• Central Directorate of Public Security. In charge of maintaining public order in urban
areas. It staffs and coordinates the work of police stations all over the country.
• General Inspectorate. It undertakes control and audit missions of different services,
initiates internal investigations of an administrative or judicial nature, and conducts
analysis and forecasting studies.
• Central Directorate of General Intelligence. It collects, political, economic, and social
intelligence in order to inform the government's decision making process.
• Directorate of Homeland Surveillance. The second branch of the National Police
assuming intelligence functions. Its activities are hidden by a veil of secrecy, as its
mandate is to detect and prevent any activities threatening homeland security, such as
military and economic espionage and terrorism.
• Central Directorate for Border Policing. It protects the integrity of French borders
and combats illegal immigration in close cooperation with its European counterparts. It
also assists French consular offices all over the world.
• Central Service of the Companies for Republican Security. Constitutes the mobile
reserve of the National Police. It was created in the end of World War II and can be
dispatched. nationally in a short notice for anti-riot and emergency situations.
• Studies of Homeland Security. Created in 1989 and reporting directly to the Minister of
the Interior. Its mandate is to identify new risks and threats, to evaluate their impact, and
to assess the government responses to them.

 Offices/Units Directly Attached to the Director General

1. International Technical Police Cooperation Service. Placed under the direct authority
of the General Director. It arranges bilateral and multilateral cooperation initiatives,
manages the career of police attaches and liaison officers posted in 52 permanent
delegation and 40 host police organization in the world.
2. Anti-Terrorist and Hostage Rescue Unit
3. Anti-Drug Coordination Unit
4. A Counter-Terrorism Coordination Unit
5. Anti-Mafia Coordination Unit
 Selection, Training and Police Unions

- Recruitment and training of police officers follows a three-tiered Republican system.

• Applicants can join the National Police as Constable, Lieutenant or Commissioner Level.
There is no diploma prerequisite for the Constable entry examination although a high
school diploma is a norm.
• At middle-management level, 2 years of college is required.
• For the Commissioned Officer's examination, a minimum of 4 years in university with a
higher-than-average marks is essential.
  Ranking System

• The Corps d'encadrement et d'application (Management and Enforcement Corps) corresponds

approximately to the enlisted and non-commissioned ranks in a military force, or to constables and
sergeants in a British-style civil police force.

Major, responsable Major à l’échelon

d’unité locale de exceptionnel
police Major Brigadier Brigadier Sous-brigadier
-chief

Gardien de
la
paix (keepe
r of the Gardien de la paix stagiaire (keeper of the peace, intern") 1st
peace) year after school.
 • The Corps de commandement (Command Corps)

Commandant Commandant divisionnaire Commandant Capitaine

divisionnaire functionnel (formerly Commandant or
Inspecteur divisionnaire)
Lieutenant Lieutenant de police Lieutenant de police -
(stagiaire) Élève
• The Corps de conception et de direction (Conception and Direction Corps)

Directeur général Préfet de police de Paris ( Directeur des services actifs

Police Prefect of Paris) (Director of the Active Services)
Inspecteur général Contrôleur général Commissaire general
(Inspector General) (Controller General) (Commissioner General)

Commissaire divisionnaire Commissaire de police Commissaire de police - Élève et

(Divisional Commissioner of (Commissioner of police) stagiaire (Probationary Commissioner of
police) police)