Reforms after police protests

POLICE officers and support staff have paraded through the centre of Paris and other cities in protest at diminishing funding.

Typically protest numbers in France are provided by unions and the police, however only one count is available for yesterday’s turnout, which the police put at 7,500 people. (A figure termed ‘a little generous’ by Le Monde).

They were protesting against a loss of funds towards increased security in the wake of the Paris attacks and a lack of coherence between the police, prison and justice systems.

Following the protest Prime Minister Manuel Valls met Justice Minister Christiane Taubira and the Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and announced a series of measures:

the simplification of arrest and interview procedures
increased sentences for heavy weapons from three years to five
reduced opportunities to move prisoners or allow them leave

The last measure was raised in response to police outcry after an officer was shot and seriously injured on October 5 by a prisoner who had absconded while on leave.

The protest was called by all police unions and is one of the largest since 2001 when 15,000 people took to the streets after the deaths of two police officers.

Photo: Channone Arif