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Encyclopedia > Gendarmerie Nationale (France)
Gendarmerie Nationale
Gendarmerie Nationale
Gendarmerie Nationale area
Coverage
Area France (rural)
Size 674,843 km²
Population Approx 66 million
Operations
Formed 1793
HQ Paris
Officers 104,000
Regions 3
Stations
Directeur Général Guy Parayre
Website Gendarmerie Nationale
French Gendarmes, in the traditional kepi, guarding the Paris Hall of Justice
French Gendarmes, in the traditional kepi, guarding the Paris Hall of Justice

See gendarmerie for similar forces in other countries. Image File history File links FrancePolice. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Floating not submerging) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... Download high resolution version (340x644, 42 KB)This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Download high resolution version (340x644, 42 KB)This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons, a repository of free content hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. ... A gendarmerie (pronounced ) is a military body charged with police duties among civilian populations. ...


In France, the Gendarmerie Nationale is the national military police force. It has a staff complement of 104,275 personnel. It has been suggested that Gendarmerie be merged into this article or section. ...

Contents

Missions

Its missions include:

  • The policing of countryside areas and of small towns, usually populations under 10,000, outside of the jurisdiction of the French National Police.
  • Criminal investigations under judiciary supervision.
  • Crowd control and other security activities.
  • The security of airports and military installations, as well as all investigations relating to the military, including in foreign interventions.
  • Participations in ceremonies involving foreign heads of states or heads of governments.

The National Police (Police Nationale) is one of two national police forces and the main civil law enforcement agency of France, with primary jurisdiction in cities and large towns. ... Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... The Head of Government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ...

Chain of Command

French Military

Components
French Air Force
French Army
French Navy
French Gendarmerie
Force de Frappe Force de frappe
Ranks
Ranks in the French Army
Ranks in the French Navy
History of the French Military
Military History of France
La Grande Armée

While administratively a part of the French armed forces, thus under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence, it is operationally attached to the Ministry of the Interior for its missions within France, and criminal investigations are run under the supervision of Investigating magistrates (judges). Its members operate in uniform and exceptionally in plainclothes. The Military of France has a long history of serving its country. ... Image File history File links France_coa. ... The French Air Force is the air force branch of the French Armed Forces. ... The French Army (French: Armée de Terre) is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... Gendarmes Gendarmes guarding the Paris Hall of Justice Gendarmerie motorcyclists police the roads and autoroutes of rural France. ... Image File history File links France_coa. ... The Redoutable, the first French nuclear missile submarine // a Pluton missile mobile launcher The Force de frappe (literally Striking Force; meant for dissuasion, i. ... Image File history File links Auteur: Cornelis File links The following pages link to this file: Ranks in the French Army ... The ranks in the French Army : // The title of Maréchal de France is awarded as a distinction, rather than a rank. ... Image File history File links Insignes damiral Work by Rama File links The following pages link to this file: Ranks in the French Navy ... The rank insignia of the French Navy are worn on epaulettes of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels. ... Image File history File links Armoiries_France_Ancien. ... Henry IV at the Battle of Ivry, by Peter Paul Rubens. ... Image File history File links Grenadier_Pied_1_1812_Revers. ... The name La Grande Armée (French for the Big Army, the Great Army, or the Grand Army) first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain... The Military of France has a long history of serving its country. ... Categories: French government | Stub ... The Interior Minister is a member of a Cabinet in a Government. ... This article is about the inquisitorial system for organizing court proceedings. ...


History

The origins of the modern gendarmerie lie with the maréchaussée of 18th century France. This was a mounted police force organised and equipped along military lines. While its existence ensured the relative safety of French rural districts and roads the marechaussee was regarded in contemporary England (which had no effective police force of any nature) as a symbol of foreign tyranny. In 1789, on the eve of the French Revolution, the marechaussee numbered 3,660 men divided into small detachments or brigades. By law dated 16 February 1791 this force was renamed gendarmerie nationale. Its personnel and role remained unchanged. Under Napoleon the numbers and responsibilities of the gendarmerie were significantly expanded. Marshal (also sometimes spelled marshall in American English, but not in British English) is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. ... The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on...


Organization

The Gendarmerie Nationale is divided into the gendarmerie départementale and the gendarmerie mobile.


The Director-General

The General of the Army Guy PARAYRE was appointed director general of the national gendarmerie on November 3, 2004 by the Council of Ministers. He officially took command on December 6, 2004 and succeeds Mr. Pierre MUTZ. This nomination gives the national gendarmerie a director general resulting from the ranks. Like the other staffs, the gendarmerie, from now on, is to directed at the highest level by a gendarme. Indeed, since 1 October 1933, and, except for a period from August 1943 at July 1947, the director general was a civilian in accordance with the decree n° 73-259 of March 9, 1973. A Général dArmée (Army General) is the highest active military rank of the French Army. ... Director-general is the professional head of a UK Executive Agency which contains other agencies headed by directors. ... The Council of the European Union forms, along with the European Parliament, the legislative arm of the European Union (EU). ... In times of armed conflict a civilian is any person who is not a combatant. ...


General of the Army Guy Parayre was born on June 29, 1947 in SAINT-AMBROIX (Gard), he is married and is a father of two children.


Direction-General

It's headquarters, called the Direction-General of the Gendarmerie National, is located, since 1969, at rue St Didier in the XVI° district of the Paris Metropole. As it grew, expansion was necessary, and now includes eleven other sites distributed throughout the capital and it outskirts of the city.


The general direction of the national gendarmerie includes: - the general staff, divided into offices and services, - one inspection gendarmerie (IGN), - the inspector-general - three services including/understanding each subdirectorate, A General Staff is a group of professional military officers who act in a staff or administrative role under the command of a general officer. ... In a civilian or military administration, an Inspector General is a high ranking official charged with the mission to inspect and report on some bodies in his field of competency. ...

  • The Inspection of the National Gendarmerie (I.G.N) - responsible for studies, information and control. In particular for:

- the judicial enquiries into gendarme misconduct. - the control and the administrative council of the formations of the gendarmerie as well as the economic analysis of the management led by these same formations. - measurements of prevention and control relating to hygiene, the safety and the working conditions.

  • Service of Human resources (S.R.H.) - The general, chief of the service of human resources directs the management of the whole of the personnel of the gendarmerie, as well as the policy of recruitment and training of this personnel.
  • Service of Plans and Means (S.P.M.) - The controller general, chief of the service of the plans and means, translated into plans and programs budgetary objectives of the gendarmerie.
  • Service for Operations and Employment (S.O.E.) - The general, chief of the service of the operations and employment, has authority on:

- the subdirectorate of the organization and the evaluation, - the subdirectorate of the international co-operation, - the subdirectorate of defense and the law and order, - the subdirectorate of public safety and the road safety, - the subdirectorate of the Criminal Investigation Department.


The general direction takes part in the correct operation of the organization. It works: - for the units of the ground and with their profit (at the regional level, the areas and the legions are the essential interfaces so that the decisions taken in Paris correspond well to the needs felt on the ground) ; - as a body of decision-making aid political for all that concerns the gendarmerie in police headquarters (budget, employment…).


It employs 2991 soldiers of active, 423 civil volunteers and 363 personnel ( 2004 Figures).


The Gendarmerie Départementale

Gendarmerie van
Gendarmerie van

The Gendarmerie Départementale, also named «La Blanche»[1] (The White), conducts local policing functions throughout the French territory. Its territorial divisions are based on the administrative divisions of France. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x713, 207 KB) Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: French Gendarmerie ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x713, 207 KB) Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: French Gendarmerie ... Metropolitan (i. ...


It is divided into regions (headed by a general, one for each defense zone), themselves divided into legions [1] (headed by a colonel, one for each of the 26 administrative region), themselves divided into groupements (one for each of the 100 département, thus the name), themselves divided into compagnies (one for each of the 342 arrondissements). This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Legion can refer to: Roman legion, a division of troops within the Roman army Legion (demon), a demon found in the Christian Bible in Mark 5:9 and Luke 8:30 The American Legion, A veterans organization in the United States A creature from Castlevania Category: ... Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ...

Gendarmes without kepis
Gendarmes without kepis

It maintains gendarmerie stations throughout the rural parts of the territory. In addition, it has specialised units: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1076x940, 252 KB) Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: French Gendarmerie ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1076x940, 252 KB) Copyright © 2005 David Monniaux File links The following pages link to this file: French Gendarmerie ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

  • Research units, who conduct criminal investigations when their difficulty exceeds the abilities of the territorial units;
  • Surveillance and intervention units, reinforce gendarmerie forces in high crime areas;
  • Units for prevention of juvenile delinquency;
  • Highway patrols
  • Mountain units, specialised in search and rescue operations, surveillance and inquiries in mountainous areas.

In addition, the Gendarmerie has an institute (Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale) specializing in the investigation of crimes by scientific and technological means. Juvenile delinquency refers to criminal acts performed by juveniles. ... A highway patrol is either a police agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the California Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties, such as... Search and Rescue (acronym SAR) is an operation mounted by emergency services, often well-trained volunteers, to find someone believed to be in distress, lost, sick or injured either in a remote or difficult to access area, such as mountains, desert or forest (Wilderness search and rescue), or at sea...


Note that the research units may be called into action by the judiciary even within cities. As an example, the Paris research section of the Gendarmerie was in charge of the investigations into the vote-rigging allegations in the 5th district of Paris (see corruption scandals in the Paris region). The 5e arrondissement is one of the central arrondissements of Paris, France, located on the Left Bank. ... In the 1980s and 1990s there were in the Paris region (ÃŽle-de-France) multiple instances of alleged and proved political corruption cases, as well as cases of abuse of public money and resources. ...


Gendarmes normally operate in uniform. They may operate in plainclothes only for specific missions and with their supervisors' authorisation.


The Gendarmerie Mobile

Some gendarmes mobiles equipped with shields, FAMAS and gas mask.
Some gendarmes mobiles equipped with shields, FAMAS and gas mask.
A training assault of GIGN on a TGV train.
A training assault of GIGN on a TGV train.

The Gendarmerie Mobile, also named « La Jaune » (The Yellow), is divided into legions, similarly as the Gendarmerie Départementale. Download high resolution version (621x813, 90 KB)Gendarmes mobiles whoever posted the pic originally said it was shot on April 1, 2004, during anti-regionalization protests They seem to be carrying: a FAMAS bulletproof vests a shield gas masks Document found and cropped from this IndyMedia article; original. ... Download high resolution version (621x813, 90 KB)Gendarmes mobiles whoever posted the pic originally said it was shot on April 1, 2004, during anti-regionalization protests They seem to be carrying: a FAMAS bulletproof vests a shield gas masks Document found and cropped from this IndyMedia article; original. ... A shield is a protective device, meant to intercept attacks. ... The FAMAS (Fusil dAssaut de la Manufacture dArmes de St-Etienne, Assault Rifle by St-Etienne Arms Factory) is an assault rifle in bullpup configuration designed and manufactured in France by the Saint Étienne arms factory, which is a member of the French government-owned GIAT Industries complex. ... Belgian 1930s era L.702 model civilian mask A gas mask is a poo worn on the face to protect the body from airborne pollutants and toxic materials. ... GSIGN unit (French Gendarmerie) assaulting a TGV train Copyright © SIRPA, GSIGN et Louis Frédéric DUNAL SIRPA = press services of the Military of France Template:FairUse File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... GSIGN unit (French Gendarmerie) assaulting a TGV train Copyright © SIRPA, GSIGN et Louis Frédéric DUNAL SIRPA = press services of the Military of France Template:FairUse File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For the group of heart conditions referred to as TGV, see transposition of the great vessels. ...


Its main responsibilities are

  • crowd and riot control
  • security of public buildings
  • all policing tasks that require large amounts of personnel (Vigipirate counter-terrorism patrols, searches in the countryside...).

Such units may intervene abroad in varied cases such as a hostage crisis or the support of peacekeeping operations. A policeman from the border police and two soldiers from the Air Force, carrying FAMAS rifles, inspect Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport. ...


The tasks of the gendarmes mobiles tasks are similar to those of the police units known as Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS), for which they are often mistaken. Easy ways to distinguish them include: A CRS officier in normal gear, standing by a Bastille Day parade The Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (Republican Security Companies, CRS) are the riot control forces and general reserve of the French National Police. ...

  • the uniform of the CRS is blue, the gendarmes mobiles are clad in black;
  • the CRS wear a big red CRS patch; the gendarmes have stylised grenades.

Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ...

Specilized units

It has the following specialised units:

See Main article: French Republican Guard Categories: Stub | Law enforcement in France ... Counter-terrorism refers to the practices, tactics, and strategies that governments, militaries, and other groups adopt in order to fight terrorism. ... A hostage crisis is a situation created by militants or terrorists wherein they take over a building full of people and then: (a) hold them till their demands or met, or (b) hold them until someone they respect tells them to stop or they decide to surrender, or (c) are... The EPIGN (Escadron Parachutiste dIntervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale) is the parachutist intervention squadron of the French Gendarmerie. ... Symbol of the French government The President of the French Republic (French: ) colloquially referred to as President of France, is Frances elected Head of State. ... Alternative meanings: vehicle armour, Armor (novel) A hoplite wearing a helmet, a breastplate and greaves (and nothing else). ... Medical evacuation version detail of propeller for amphibious operation Milan anti-tank missile variant 25 mm Dragar turret variant The Véhicule de lAvant Blindé or VAB (Armoured Vanguard Vehicle in French) is an armoured personnel carrier manufactured by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. ... East German BRDMs on parade during celebrations of the 40th anniversary of East Germany in 1989 Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... Versailles (pronounced in French), formerly de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important administrative and judicial center. ... Satory is a village south of Versailles in France. ... The ERC 90 Sagaie is a French six-wheeled light tank. ... Polish armoured car Korfanty in 1920. ... Republican Guard is the organization of a republic which serves to protect the President and the government. ... Two republican guards in ceremony uniform in front of a side entrance of the Élysée Palace The French Republican Guard (French: Garde républicaine) is the ceremonial unit of the Gendarmerie Nationale of France. ...


The Garde Républicaine, is a ceremonial unit based in Paris, whose main mission is to guard official buildings and perform honorary services. They also protect the French president. City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Floating not submerging) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ...


Special divisions

Gendarmerie Maritime

Main article: Gendarmerie Maritime The Gendarmerie Navale, or Gendarmerie maritime, is a 1 100-man strong corps of the French Navy. ...


Placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the Navy, its missions include:

  • police and security in the naval bases;
  • maritime surveillance;
  • police at sea;
  • assistance and rescue at sea.

Gendarmerie des Transports Aériens

Placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the direction of civilian aviation of the transportation ministry, its missions include:

  • police and security in civilian airfields and airports;
  • filtering access to aircraft, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotic activities, freight surveillance;
  • surveillance of technical installations of the airports (control tower...);
  • traffic control on the roads within the airports;
  • protection of important visitors stopping for a layover;
  • judiciary inquiries pertaining to accidents of civilian aircraft.

Military police

It has been suggested that Gendarmerie be merged into this article or section. ...

Gendarmerie de l'Air

Gendarmerie helicopter
Gendarmerie helicopter

Placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the Air Force, it fulfills police and security missions in the air bases, and goes on the site of accident of military aircraft. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1601x1201, 657 KB) Author : Fabien1309 Helicopter type : Eurocopter AS 350 Écureuil (aka Squirrel) Camera : Canon Powershot A510 Time : 3rd July 2005 3 Megapixels picture (cropped and edited) File links The following pages link to this file: French Gendarmerie ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1601x1201, 657 KB) Author : Fabien1309 Helicopter type : Eurocopter AS 350 Écureuil (aka Squirrel) Camera : Canon Powershot A510 Time : 3rd July 2005 3 Megapixels picture (cropped and edited) File links The following pages link to this file: French Gendarmerie ...


Gendarmerie de l'Armement

It fulfills police and security missions in the establishments of the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (defence procurement agency). The Délégation Générale pour lArmement (General Delegation for Weaponry), or DGA, is the French government agency which conducts development and evaluation programs for weapon systems for the French military. ...


Trivia

  • Career gendarmes are either commissioned or non-commissioned officers. The lower ranks consist in auxiliary gendarmes on limited-time contracts.
  • The gendarmerie is sometimes unofficially referred to as the maréchaussée (an old name for the service), and the gendarmes as pandores.
  • The officer school of the Gendarmerie Nationale is located in Melun.
  • In 2005, the Gendarmerie switched its 70,000 personal computers from Microsoft Office (or Microsoft Word) to the OpenOffice.org suite. In 2006, they are switching web browsers from Internet Explorer to Mozilla Firefox and email clients to Mozilla Thunderbird. According to Gen. Brachet, head of communications and computing systems, the goal is to move all applications to fully standardised protocols and formats, so that they are platform-neutral.
  • The symbol of the gendarmerie is a grenade, it's also worn by the Italian Carabinieri and the Grenadier Guards in England.

A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or noncom, is a non-commissioned member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ... Melun is a French city and commune on the river Seine, about 50 km south-southeast of Paris. ... Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity programs created or purchased by Microsoft and developed for Microsoft Windows, and Apples Mac OS and Mac OS X operating systems. ... Microsoft Office Word is Microsofts flagship word processing software. ... OpenOffice. ... An example of a web browser (Internet Explorer), displaying the English Wikipedia main page. ... It has been suggested that Internet Explorer 7 be merged into this article or section. ... Mozilla Firefox is a graphical web browser developed by the Mozilla Corporation and a large community of external contributors. ... Mozilla Thunderbird is a free, cross-platform e-mail and news client developed by the Mozilla Foundation. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... The Carabinieri is the shortened (and common) name for the Arma dei Carabinieri, an Italian military corps of the gendarmerie type with police functions, which also serves as the Italian military police. ... The Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. ...

Some notes

  1. ^ After the colour of the silver stripes that the gendarmes wear on their kepis, as opposed to the golden striped of the Army.

External links

  • Gendarmerie Nationale official site
  • The French Gendarmerie Directory

See also



 
 

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