Beauvau Plan for Municipal Police Resumes, Aiming for Legislative Proposal by June
Lyon, France – Minister François-Noël Buffet has relaunched the "Beauvau Plan for Municipal Police" in Lyon, with the objective of presenting a legislative bill to Parliament "before June." The plan, which seeks to expand the prerogatives of municipal police officers, whose powers have remained unchanged for over 25 years, was initially launched by then-Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin but was interrupted by the dissolution and succession of governments. It brings together elected officials and unions.
Adapting to New Security Challenges
"It is time to adapt" the legal framework for municipal police forces "to the new realities of insecurity in France," said François-Noël Buffet, Minister attached to Minister of State for the Interior Bruno Retailleau, while opening a consultation meeting on the arming and equipment of municipal police officers.
The response to the riots of 2023 revealed "a real diversity in municipal police forces across municipalities, and several mayors are expecting" sometimes to have more authority and greater powers, he explained before the press. All this "against the backdrop of a quite extraordinary increase in violence across the country, not to mention drugs," he added.
Upcoming Consultations and Expected Timeline
This meeting will be followed by several more in March, in Metz, Meaux, and Le Havre, to address issues of training, ethics, and functional protection of police officers, as well as the pooling of resources between municipalities. The work will continue with consultations and workshops at the Ministry of the Interior. The Minister hopes for a bill "before June."
"No avenue of reflection or proposal should be excluded," emphasized Mr. Buffet in his speech, insisting on listening to local elected officials and respecting the self-governance of local authorities. "The desires and needs of each and every one are different, they must not be imposed, and consequently, mayors must have a choice," Mr. Buffet further highlighted.
Growing Municipal Police Force and Varying Needs
Over the past quarter-century, municipal police forces have reached "more than 28,000 officers spread across 4,500 municipalities," according to figures provided by the Minister. The vast majority of these municipal police forces have limited staff: 80% have fewer than 10 officers, and 50% have two officers or less. 80% are armed, and 58% possess firearms.
