Not sure what story this refers to, but fatal shootings by police officers happen in the UK - there are over 6,000 armed police there now and a handful of deaths each year although mainly lawful killings. But do you remember the case of Anthony Grainger? Police found guilty of shooting him…
ah yes, but @Jane_Williamson hates the Cluny Gendarme with a passion so is blind to any possible good the Gendarme in general might do…
Yes, but they are named and tried.
The shooting of my neighbour is being covered up as far as the public are concerned.
Not true.
There must be some good ones.
I remember a senior officer who exchanged himself for a hostage and was then shot and killed.
A very brave man.
3 Likes
Their traditions are certainly deep rooted in the Military but IIRC Nicolas Sarkozy when President changed that to the responsibility of the Interior Ministry from Defence after his spell as Interior Minster some time before his presidency, when he was told, politely perhaps, to give his attentions elsewhere when he asked questions about the Gendarmarie…
It is a fact that the gendarmerie are not allowed to serve in their home towns, whereas in police forces in UK local knowledge is respected and valued.
I wonder why?
To help prevent favouritism, nepotism, letting their mates off… maybe? 
1 Like
Why didn’t I think of that?
1 Like
I believe it’s the same with the postal deliveries… not allowed to have their “hometown” on their circuit…
The whole ethos of the two police forces is very different. In France if you read all the bumpf the emphasis is on controlling law and order, whereas in the UK it is much more about serving the public and maintaining law and order. Small difference maybe, but does influence policies and thus behaviours. Sadly the UK police force is much more aggressive and corrupt than it used to be (although perhaps some of the worst corruption is being weeded out).
1 Like
not in our experience stella as our post lady lives (in a fashion) next door but one…
1 Like
One would hope so, with all the stopping of professional people just because they are driving a decent car.
There is still a huge amount to do to improve the service that raped women receive and the prosecution never mind conviction, rate is abominable.
Our sub-postmistress lives in our commune… and runs our Sub-Post Office… but local postal delivery folk are not allowed to “deliver to their neighbours”… their rounds are always in other communes.
Makes a right nuisance when a Postie retires or moves away… as the newbie is always from outside the commune and has to learn the “history” of who lives where and that sort of thing…
We have Postal Delivery folk who live in the commune… but their rounds are kms away… aaargh
Last year, they sent a couple of postal folk to tour the commune, armed with a map, and they marked the names of who was where… so that anyone would be able to deliver the post, no matter where they came from. Due, I believe, to cutting staff and increasing rounds… but still no locals amongst them.
Postie still knocks on my door when they can’t find a Brit or a Dutch … they seem to locate the other foreigners… 
Maybe the regulations are stricter in some areas than others… it would help if they would relax them just a little around here…
Now then Graham… I’m intrigued…
what fashion is that… Gucci… Chanel… ??? 
3 Likes
nah… Our lieu-dit comprises 9 addresses, 3 are in close proximity in a loop separated from the other houses (where the postie lives) which are stretched out along the main route… nothing so fancy as Gucci - more East Enders and the Arches, proximity wise 
When we first arrived here, our postie was one of our closest neighbours, albeit living nearly 2km away. His wife was/still is a gendarme at the nearest gendarmerie.
1 Like
Crazy thing is… we used to wave to Pierrot as he drove through the village… to/from his round some 15km away…
He now does a nearer circuit… but still not allowed to do his own commune… even as a “relief”
One of our local councillors is a gendarme réserviste…born and bred here, and his mother is the secretary at the marie. Nepotism…nah!