The Prime Minister went to Nice on Saturday with two of his ministers to show his "determination to put an end to the daily violence". Alongside Gérald Darmanin and Eric Dupond-Moretti, Jean Castex delivered a message of firmness. If some announcements remain to be clarified, it was concrete about the additional aid granted to the city of Nice.
Extension of the powers of the municipal police
Jean Castex gives the green light to the experimentation of an extension of the competences of the municipal police. It will be done "within a framework which will be fixed by the ministers present here", declared the Prime Minister, designating the Ministers of the Interior and of Justice. Several mayors of France had made this request, including Christian Estrosi, who promises to recruit 80 municipal police officers, specially dedicated to sensitive areas.
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More municipal police officers
Jean Castex announced the deployment of 60 municipal police officers in Nice in the coming weeks. In addition, 150 jobs will be created to "strengthen local criminal action" by the end of the year, said the head of government. The police unions have also obtained the promise of a loyalty bonus: Nice has difficulty attracting police officers, the cost of living being higher there than in many other cities.
Generalization of the lump sum of drug offenses
The Prime Minister also insisted on the need to strengthen local criminal action, promising more resources for justice. He also announced the generalization of the package of narcotics offenses. From the start of the school year, the police will be able to issue fines, which will allow them to enforce the law without delay.
But for Davido Reverdy, national delegate of the Alliance police union, this is a "confession of helplessness" rather than a promising measure. "This means that we will be able to consume cocaine without risking any passage in court since it will be a fixed fine, a bit like a traffic offense during a speeding violation. It is an admission of helplessness. since drug trafficking has never been so flourishing, "he said on Saturday at the microphone of Europe 1.
He adds: "As we do not manage to stem the phenomenon, we will trivialize this use. It is a measure which aims more to unclog the courts rather than to fight effectively against drug trafficking. For us, this measure is not going in the right direction. "