We are more used to seeing them in the field for criminal investigations and related to heavy drug trafficking. This Monday, the police officers of the PJ (judicial police) of Nîmes who report to Montpellier were gathered in front of the arenas of Nîmes against the project of the reform of the judicial police. They responded to a call from the national association of the judicial police (ANPJ), launched in 36 cities in mainland France and overseas.

Supported by magistrates from the prosecution or the seat of the judicial court, by lawyers, these police officers (they are 11 in Nîmes) paused from behind, for the photo and in front of the arenas. It was their new boss in Nîmes who spoke. This demonstration is the result of a real warning shot in Marseille after the dismissal 10 days ago of Eric Arella, popular boss of the south-eastern zone of the PJ. This dismissal has even more welded the investigators of the PJ. All wear a white T-shirt with the effigy of Georges Clémenceau, the originator of the Tiger Brigades.

The police intend to denounce the dangers of the reorganization project desired by the Ministry of the Interior, which wishes to place the PJ, organized so far in regional directorates, under the sole authority of the director of all the police services in each department. And the prefect. The police fear a pooling of staff with the DDSP.

“We are here to defend our specificities”, describes a police officer from the PJ of Nîmes who fears this pooling of resources and having to manage all comers at the departmental directorate of public security. “What is happening is shameful”, describes Jean-Christophe Moustacakis, the former boss of the PJ of Nîmes now retired. The national association of the judicial police created two months ago now has more than 2,000 members.