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_dgn_ · 03-26-18, 05:32 PM

An important remark : Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple "police officer", but an Officer in the "Gendarmerie Nationale", a French mixture of military police (on Army grounds, barracks, air bases, vessels ...), of "Prévôté" (law enforcement, near to "provost" in English) during war or external operations, and, finally, of countryside security forces.

"Gendarmerie Nationale" is regarded as an elite branch of the French Army, "elite" because constituted only of Army Officers and NCOs (no privates as in Infantry, Artillery ... or in the French police). Each Gendarme (Officer or NCO) has moreover judicial powers (not the same case with all French policers).

Gendarmerie deals also with security of French embassies (Marines for US embassies !), of airports ("Gendarmerie de l'Air" or Gendarmerie for Air Force), of harbours ("Gendarmerie Maritime" or Naval Gendarmerie) ...

In Paris, the "Garde Républicaine" or Republican Guard, belonging also to the Gendarmerie, guards inside the presidential palace, inside the "Sénat" (Senate), inside the "Assemblée Nationale" (House of Representatives), inside the "Ministère de la Défense" (war ministry) ... Policers are only outwards, in front of these buildings.

A Gendarmerie Officer has generally studied 2 years after bachelor's degree, made a success with the very difficult entrance examination (1700 candidates, 140 places) for Saint-Cyr Military School (the French equivalent of West Point), then studied here 3 other years, left with an engineer's diploma or a Master's Degree (in History or Economy, for example), naturally besides military knowledges (in particular, a certificate of Infantry Platoon Leader, a Paratrooper badge from the Airborne School at Pau, and a Commando Training badge from the National Commandos Center at Mont-Louis).

But this isn't sufficient : he must be the first ("Major" or Valedictorian) or the second (getting the best marks of all 140 young Army Officers) at the final examination of Saint-Cyr Academy (generally, there is, each year, only 1 place as Officer of Gendarmerie, just like there only, each year, 1 place as Officer of the French Foreign Legion ...). One more year (with studies of law and of criminology) in the EOGN ("Ecole d'Officiers de la Gendarmerie Nationale", or National Gendarmerie Officers Academy) at Melun, near Paris, and the young Lieutenant is finally becoming a Gendarmerie Officer.

So, it's more easier to become a "police officer" belonging to the French (or American) police, or a county sheriff !

No, a Gendarmerie Officer isn't a simple "police officer".

And Lt-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple Gendarmerie Officer ...

03-26-18, 05:32 PM	#8
_dgn_ Machinist's Mate Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: France Posts: 122 Downloads: 331 Uploads: 0	An important remark : Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple "police officer", but an Officer in the "Gendarmerie Nationale", a French mixture of military police (on Army grounds, barracks, air bases, vessels ...), of "Prévôté" (law enforcement, near to "provost" in English) during war or external operations, and, finally, of countryside security forces. "Gendarmerie Nationale" is regarded as an elite branch of the French Army, "elite" because constituted only of Army Officers and NCOs (no privates as in Infantry, Artillery ... or in the French police). Each Gendarme (Officer or NCO) has moreover judicial powers (not the same case with all French policers). Gendarmerie deals also with security of French embassies (Marines for US embassies !), of airports ("Gendarmerie de l'Air" or Gendarmerie for Air Force), of harbours ("Gendarmerie Maritime" or Naval Gendarmerie) ... In Paris, the "Garde Républicaine" or Republican Guard, belonging also to the Gendarmerie, guards inside the presidential palace, inside the "Sénat" (Senate), inside the "Assemblée Nationale" (House of Representatives), inside the "Ministère de la Défense" (war ministry) ... Policers are only outwards, in front of these buildings. A Gendarmerie Officer has generally studied 2 years after bachelor's degree, made a success with the very difficult entrance examination (1700 candidates, 140 places) for Saint-Cyr Military School (the French equivalent of West Point), then studied here 3 other years, left with an engineer's diploma or a Master's Degree (in History or Economy, for example), naturally besides military knowledges (in particular, a certificate of Infantry Platoon Leader, a Paratrooper badge from the Airborne School at Pau, and a Commando Training badge from the National Commandos Center at Mont-Louis). But this isn't sufficient : he must be the first ("Major" or Valedictorian) or the second (getting the best marks of all 140 young Army Officers) at the final examination of Saint-Cyr Academy (generally, there is, each year, only 1 place as Officer of Gendarmerie, just like there only, each year, 1 place as Officer of the French Foreign Legion ...). One more year (with studies of law and of criminology) in the EOGN ("Ecole d'Officiers de la Gendarmerie Nationale", or National Gendarmerie Officers Academy) at Melun, near Paris, and the young Lieutenant is finally becoming a Gendarmerie Officer. So, it's more easier to become a "police officer" belonging to the French (or American) police, or a county sheriff ! No, a Gendarmerie Officer isn't a simple "police officer". And Lt-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple Gendarmerie Officer ...