the Ministry of the Interior calls on its administrative staff to secure the Olympics – Libération

According to information from France Info revealed this Wednesday, December 27, administrative staff – civil servants and contract workers – from the Ministry of the Interior and the Paris prefecture will be called upon during the Olympic Games to “participate in machine research missions suspects”.

212 days before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, the squad reviews are not yet complete. And public officials usually stationed in offices are invited to go into the field. To participate in securing this international sporting event, Place Beauvau will call on its administrative staff, but also that of the Paris police headquarters, reveals France Info this Wednesday, December 27. These civil servants and contract workers, chosen on a voluntary basis, will have the tasks of “participating in search missions for suspicious devices in support of specialized services and who would therefore like to leave their offices to patrol in addition to dog teams”. Their goal: to carry out searches for explosives, management of public transport or even searches of people.

France Info specifies that the agents volunteering for these missions will have to participate in a five-day training course, i.e. 30 hours, to learn “the detection of explosives, the management of public transport, security perimeters and even searches. people, vehicles and buildings. In compensation, these reinforcements for reservists, police officers and gendarmes will be able to benefit from a bonus amounting to around 70 euros per day, still being negotiated.

30,000 police officers and gendarmes mobilized every day

Security needs are indeed enormous around the Olympic Games. Around 30,000 law enforcement officers will be mobilized every day during the event, from July 26 to Sunday August 11, 2024. A number which even rises to 45,000 for the opening ceremony. Public service radio also explains that negotiations are still underway with the police in order to define the working conditions, leave and bonuses for these police forces during the Olympics. Shifts of 12 hours continuously, with five days of work and one day of rest, would for the moment be planned, as well as two weeks of leave strictly authorized between June 15 and September 15. Depending on the degree of commitment of administrative agents, bonuses of 500, 1,000 or 1,500 euros are also considered.

Speaking to France Info, the national delegate of the Alliance police union nevertheless considers these sums insufficient. Eric Henry demands a fixed bonus: “Between demonstrations linked to pensions, classic crime, the fight against delinquency, the Rugby World Cup, riots, the police are overstretched. So in exceptional circumstances for the Olympic Games in particular, exceptional recognition.” To make their demands heard, Alliance and other unions are calling for a day of mobilization on January 18.