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In their own words: Why French police are in revolt

Vergennes

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So,what is the government going to do ? Sending the police ? Hilarious.
The government and all other actors have to listen to them and their demands,today the police is on its knees,but they know right it would be the total anarchy in the country if they weren't here. If they can't even protect themselves,how will they protect us ? We'll have to defend ourselves and that's how we are going into anarchy.
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Police have staged protests for three nights in a row across France. Here's why they say they're fed up.

Hundreds of police have taken part in unauthorized protests across France over the past three nights.

The catalyst for the protests was a vicious petrol bomb attack on four officers in a Paris suburb earlier this month.

In fact, police unions say some 500 officers are injured in the line of duty each month.

Add to this the fact that officers have been working under a state of emergency for almost a year, and it's no surprise they're fed up.

The government has promised talks with officers around France, and here are the complaints that they're likely to hear.

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Lack of resources

"We have fewer colleagues but we have the same resources. Everything is enormously complicated for the police. And it has become worse over the past few years," an anonymous officer told the BFM TV channel in a lengthy interview.

"There just aren't enough of us, and we're not properly equipped. There can be just two of us having to respond to a group of ten people who don't want to see us," he said.

... that they have to pay for it

Some officers have to pay for their own equipment, an anonymous policeman told France Info.

"It costs us €70 for a vest that holds our gear, such as radio, gloves etc, that we can use instead of stuffing it all into our trouser pockets," he said.

"It's even more expensive if it's bullet-proof. And we have to pay for these. Even the gloves."

Low pay and empty words

Another anonymous police officer told Breizh Info that conditions in general were "impossible".

"We're getting paid peanuts, we have crazy working hours, all this to end up being attacked and set on fire by police-killers who aren't afraid of the state anymore," he said.

"We're fed up with being praised by the minister (Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve) for how we keep our cool, while it's the warm blood of our colleagues that's running on the streets."

Many officers have called for the minister, pictured below, to resign.

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"We're becoming like secretaries"

Yan Pissard, a police officer in central France's Châtellerault, said there's simply too much paperwork.

"There are constantly more and more complaints and procedures coming in," he told La Nouvelle République.

"We're open to the public 24/7 and having to write more things down than ever, notify everything in writing. We're police officers but we're also becoming more and more like secretaries."

Scared about lack of safety

One officer said his wife was afraid for him when he went to work each day.

Another told the Nice Matin newspaper: "We're fed up of going to work full of fear. We want the fear to switch sides."

"All we want is to have the resources and the equipment to work safely," another told BFM TV.

"I want my colleagues to be safe, and to head home at the end of the day with a feeling of accomplishment."

"I hope we can find some solutions and quickly. This movement is growing. I want us to be heard, and I want to get back down to work."

https://www.thelocal.fr/20161020/in-their-own-words-why-french-police-are-in-revolt

@flamer84 @Nilgiri @waz
@Taygibay @Louiq XIV
 
I truly feel for them. Sworn to uphold the law, whilst the government sells them out.
Stand brave men and women of the uniform. I will gladly come out on the streets for officers in the UK and in France, after all, teachers and the police are comrades.
 
French police should not back down. They do not deserve to be treated as expendables by disgusting political class.

I hope overeall society backs them strongly to achieve some compromise till elections are finished and true change can come (hopefully).

Socialist party should not be voted in again for next few decades at a minimum!
 
I'll skip commenting on that, Vaub'.
The side of my personality that I try not to bring to the Web
would show up and contrast poorly with my usual demeanor.

I think you and all can see where I stand from the above, Tay.
 
Tell me @Vergennes , were there any deep rooted issues from previous admins as well? i.e was it this bad under sarkozy admin or it has got much worse under Hollande? If the latter, how much was inherited from before and allowed to get worse?

It should be a strong election issue, these is a very crucial time and juncture in France's history.
 
Tell me @Vergennes , were there any deep rooted issues from previous admins as well? i.e was it this bad under sarkozy admin or it has got much worse under Hollande? If the latter, how much was inherited from before and allowed to get worse?

That's an interesting question. Under Sarkozy,the situation wasn't all perfect,but isn't as worse as today.

The left all together are criticizing Sarkozy's administration decision to cut altogether 10-15K jobs in the Police and Gendarmerie. But forgot that our country faced an important economical crisis,all ministries had to make sacrifices. They also fail to mention that when Sarkozy was the minister of the interior and President,the presence of both forces on the streets increased by 10%. Forgot that the internal situations weren't the same at all.

Hollande,when candidate,promised to create 9.000 jobs in the Police and Gendarmerie,but the Court of Audit showed that from from 2012 to 2015,their size only increased by .... 390..... far from the 9.000 promised.... (Police +110 Gendarmerie + 280.)
It's only after the terror attacks that recruiting more cops and gendarmes was taken seriously,but it takes time to see a significative change on the ground. It takes time to recruit and train officers.

Under the previous government,police forces weren't stretched to their limits with all the new tasks they are currently given because of the high terrorist threats. There are less and less cops available to their main and first mission.
Due to lack of authority from this government,all kind of anarchists and thugs aren't afraid of them anymore. Even worse,they are now seeking to injure and even kill police officers on their duty,and cops are seeking legal means to properly defend themselves against more and more violent thugs,criminals whatsoever. A part from condemning every attacks against police officers,this government does almost nothing. Neighborhoods are being abandoned to thugs,Police flee the ghettos.The Republican order is no longer enforced.

The working conditions were better under the former,but on equipments both are at fault. Cops need more and better uniforms,protections,other equipments.... that aren't provided,as you can read,some cops buy equipments with their own money ! Cars are being replaced at a ridiculous rate (even if increased),you can find police cars that are so old/decaying that you would prefer to be blind than seing such horrors.

It should be a strong election issue, these is a very crucial time and juncture in France's history.

Security is of course a big concern,most of the candidates calling for more jobs creation in Gendarmerie/Police,investments on equipments and new technologies and so on.... but some says it needs to be followed with a stronger justice system,a real/strong state authority,and give all the legal means to the police officers to better defend themselves. Such as easing the rules for police officers to open fire.
Now let's see if it's such talk talk talk.... everyone is seeking actions !
 
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It's the same everywhere, government budgets are tightening while the threats continue to increase.

Minorities feel as if they're second class citizens, but fail to realize that of all the opportunities provided by the State they have still managed not to want to improve their lives.

Hundreds of Millions of Dollars are available for minority students to pursue higher education (tech schools/ colleges/ universities) but most decide to work a few months and "injure" themselves to claim disability welfare checks.

Everyone feels entitled to something, but doesn't want to work to achieve it when it can just be given to them by holding some protests.
 
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