The right-wing majority Senate voted on Tuesday March 16 at first reading, as part of the text on "
global security
", the expansion, on an experimental basis, of the powers of municipal police officers, extending the duration of the experiment. from three to five years.
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The "
strengthening
" of municipal police "
is not done in the place of the State
", assured the Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin, for whom he responds to "
a desire expressed by the mayors of France
".
With an opinion of "
wisdom
" from the minister, the senators extended the duration of the experiment to five years, in order to allow sufficient hindsight for its evaluation.
The municipal police officers could thus, in this experiment, note the street selling, the lack of driving license, the lack of insurance, the obstruction of road traffic, the illegal occupation of building halls. .. Senators have added the possibility of noting motorized rodeo offenses.
"
It is not a question of generalizing this experiment to the whole of France
"
As regards the possibility of recording the consumption of narcotics and of carrying out seizures, provisions rejected in committee, the Senate reinstated them in public session, after an exchange with the Minister of the Interior.
In particular, it was specified that for narcotics, "
the products seized are immediately destroyed
".
Regarding the field of experimentation, the Senate lowered from 20 to 15 the number of municipal police officers (or rural guards) allowing a community to ask to participate in the experiment, in order to open it up to medium-sized towns. .
But for the rapporteur Marc-Philippe Daubresse (LR), "
it is not a question of generalizing this experiment to the whole of France
".
The Senate has provided additional training for municipal police officers who will have new skills.
The left scrapped unsuccessfully to oppose an experiment which "
goes against the general interest
", for Sophie Taillé-Polian (environmental group), "
risks aggravating territorial inequalities and weakening the national police
”, according to Cécile Cukierman (CRCE with communist majority).
"
This experiment creates confusion and legal insecurity, the State releasing itself in the process of its responsibilities on the municipalities which will have to leave their portfolio
", regretted Didier Marie (PS).
