Forty-eight hours before a call by the far left and various organizations to demonstrate against police violence, a report by the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) was posted online. According to this annual study, the number of investigations conducted by "the police of the police" on the use of force by police officers on public roads is clearly increasing in 2022.
In total, the IGPN was seized of 1,065 judicial investigations in 2022, a "stable" number over three years, after a sharp increase in 2019, in connection with the Yellow Vests movement. As in other years, almost half (48%) of these investigations concern the use of force by police officers. And "it is on the public highway that police officers most frequently use force," notes the inspectorate, which has been seized of 272 investigations for use of force "during an arrest or an equivalent operation" (54% of cases). A figure "in sharp increase since it represented 37% of allegations in 2021".
The number of investigations into the use of firearms by police officers on duty is also on the rise, with 47 investigations, compared to 38 in 2021. Last year, 38 people died as a result of police action, including 22 after a shooting, also notes the IGPN. Of these 22 deaths, 13 are related to refusal to comply. However, shootings during refusals to comply are down in 2022, to 138 against 157 in 2021, the "lowest level" since 2017 (202), year of the entry into force of a law that changed the conditions of opening fire by the police.
Theft corruption investigations on the rise
With the exception of investigations for racist or discriminatory insults, which remain at an "equal" level (52 investigations) and those for forgery in public documents, which are decreasing, investigations for other types of offences are all increasing. Those for flights (64) are up "after six consecutive years" of decline. Those for active and passive corruption (27 and 29 respectively), as well. As well as breaches of professional secrecy (74 referrals) and misappropriation of files (56 referrals).
On the administrative side, the inspection received 192 investigations in 2022 and found 565 deficiencies by officials. The IGPN proposed the referral of 112 officers to the disciplinary board and issued a total of 244 proposals for sanctions (reprimands, warnings etc.), the lowest number since 2016.
