The Gendarmerie

[Chris Boonzaier]

I spent the last couple of weeks at the Airplane crash site in the Alps and worked close with a fantastic group from the Gendarmerie and Sapeur-Pompier, was able to gather some souveniers from the Gerndarmes....

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Chris.

One  sees the Gendarmerie at work during the TV clips which came with the news. There seem to be specialized mountain units.

Of course here in the states the idea of a national police force with the exception of the FBI is unthinkable.

The CRS ( Compagnies Republicaine de Securitee ) also come to mind, recruited from ex- military in the 1950/60' s and not much liked by certain people. Some of whom carry the MAS 4? semi-automatic rifle or a version thereof.

Perhaps you could also shed some light on the organization and function of this establishment.

I do not envy your deployment at this disaster site, which ever your responsibility.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Gordon Craig]

Chris,

Interesting patches to collect even under such conditions.  I'd like to hear more  about the Gendarmerie as well.

Regards,

Gordon

 

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

 

The CRS are more like mobile Riot squads and have taken over many of the Vigipirate guards details for anti terrorism, then there are many Municipal police in the cities and large towns, the Gendarmerie are basically all over and are divided into the "mobile" and "departemental".... along with specialised units including one for aviation.

The one on the top is for Crisis planning, the one on the bottom for motorcycle units, I think the one in the middle is a standard one. I was actually given them as souveniers, meant to bring home for the kids, but the kids let me keep them.

I did not manage to get the mountain one, but most of the guys there were in the mountain gendarmerie

 

[Gordon Craig]

Chris,

Thanks for the additional info.  When I lived in France my landlord was a member of the Gendarme Mobile.  They lived in a Caserne about an hours drive from Metz.

Regards,

Gordon

 

[Michael Johnson]

I remember buying a nice ribbon bar (FORPRONU, Defense Nationale) from a member of the Gendarmerie Nationale.  He had fond memories of working with Canadian Police in Former Yugoslavia.