A 49-year-old policeman, who lived and worked in Essonne, was found lifeless Wednesday in Saint-Martin-la-Motte, near Roanne, in the Loire, reveals France Bleu.
According to the first elements of the investigation, the official killed himself with his service weapon.
An autopsy, scheduled for Friday, should confirm this.
The body of the forties was found behind the wheel of his car, on the side of the road.
A motorist stopped, called out by this stationary car, and called the emergency services before realizing that the man had died, says the radio.
A letter was found near the body.
The official was expected to return to work on Wednesday morning.
Without news from him, his wife had warned the police who had been able to locate her husband's phone in the Roanne region.
The policeman, a native of Saint-Etienne, had family near Roanne, reveals France Bleu.
According to Actu 17, he was more specifically assigned to the regional training center (CRF) in Draveil, since March.
He was the father of two children.
This would be the fifteenth suicide of a police officer since the beginning of the year, according to Actu 17. A 56-year-old police officer had committed suicide in Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine) on Tuesday, already with his service weapon . In mid-May, it is a policeman in his forties who killed himself with his service weapon in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin). Last year, 28 suicides were reported in the national police.