NCJ Number
148908
Date Published
1993
Length
164 pages
Annotation
Focusing on the city of Bordeaux, this historical study analyzes how the French municipal police gradually became an agent of the central government.
Abstract
The municipal police as the oldest French police branch has historical been under local authority, thereby expressing the administrative autonomy of the communities. The nationalization of the Bordeaux municipal police over a period of 57 years mirrors a trend that occurred in numerous French cities as part of a major restructuring of the police forces, the fight against communism, and expanding national power. Until 1913, the Bordeaux police had been under predominantly local authority; from then on, the nationalization proceeded in three steps: 1913-1921 when the issue was first raised on the local level; 1928-1930 when it entered into the power play of the 1929 municipal elections; and 1938-1939 when specific steps toward nationalization were taken. The process was completed in 1941 when the German backed Vichy government forced the mayor of Bordeaux to surrender his power over the police force. After the return of democracy, postwar mayors never regained their hold over the police force. Pertinent laws and written communication as well as a list of historical sources are appended.