Hundreds of police officers in France demonstrated on Monday against a reform of their services wanted by the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin. The gatherings of police affected several cities.
The police refuse the reform of the Judicial Police wanted by Gérald Darmanin who must put all the police services of a department under the direction of a single person at the departmental level.
Thus a single departmental director of the national police who would be under the responsibility of the prefect, would be in charge of intelligence, public security, the judicial police and the border police.
In Marseilles, Lille, Bordeaux, Versailles, and in other cities of France, hundreds of police officers expressed their rejection of this measure announcing that they intend to organize larger demonstrations in the days to come, in particular in the capital, Paris.
The police gathered in front of the headquarters of the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ), call on the police unions to support them in their fight to preserve their “work tool” according to them.
The anger of the investigators of the Judicial Police increased after the publication last week of two reports, including one from the Senate which criticizes this project, and especially after statements by the Minister of the Interior following the publication of the reports.
The breach of trust between Gérard Darmanin, the first police officer in France, and the police dates back to August with the first demonstrations against this project.
In October, a well-respected zonal director of the Judicial Police, Eric Arella, was sacked after a demonstration by police officers opposed to the reform. His dismissal had created indignation everywhere in France.
Police officers resistant to reform say they are not demonstrating for less hours or a salary increase but simply to protect their work.