We visited the new police station

Arriving in the Marais at the end of the summer, the national police discreetly took up residence a stone's throw from the Carreau du Temple and the square of the same name. And the 650 civil servants are, it seems, delighted to arrive in one of the trendiest sectors of the capital.

Formerly dispersed over several sites (rue aux Ours in the 3rd, boulevard Bourdon in the 4th, place Saint-Honoré in the 1st), the police find themselves in a five-story building (and 3 basements) dating from 1925. Fully renovated, it is the Hôtel de la Garantie, which formerly housed the hallmarks department responsible for the certification of precious metals.

“For us, this is a huge improvement compared to the previous situation,” explains divisional commissioner Blaise Lechevalier, both head of the police station and head of the 1st Parisian district which includes Paris Center (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) and the 8th, 9th, 16th and 17th arrondissements. “Previously, the Paris-Centre police officers did not know each other well due to the fact that they were spread across several sites. Being grouped in a single location improves team cohesion. » Another advantage: fewer police officers are assigned to surveillance of different buildings; there are therefore a little more numerous on public roads.

Paris Center Police Station, © Anaïs Costet

For the public, the move doesn't change much. The rue Perrée police station continues to carry out the same missions as in the past, that is to say helping people, welcoming victims, launching investigations. And this, with occasional help from the municipal police who, under the authority of Anne Hidalgo and the mayor of Paris-Centre Ariel Weil, focuses on parking and incivility.

“In our city where, unlike in the United States, homicides and violence by weapons are extremely rare, our mission revolves around three main axes: delinquency, burglaries and violent thefts,” continues Commissioner Lechevalier while strolling through the police station where the police on rollerblades salute as he passes. “Pickpocketing is taking on industrial proportions in Paris, with the following modus operandi: thieves target carefree or slightly drunk partygoers whose vigilance is reduced; then they take the opportunity to steal cell phones, wallets or handbags, most often when the weather is nice and on weekend evenings. » The banks of the Seine and the Montorgueil district are particularly popular with criminals, but the Marais is not spared.

Another Parisian trend: violent thefts of brand watches. The delinquents do not hesitate to hit their victims to rob them more easily.

Commissioner Blaise Lechevalier, © Anaïs Costet

According to the divisional commissioner, the number of burglaries is also “considerable”. And he provides some advice: “Don't just slam the door when leaving the house but lock it, equip yourself with efficient locks, don't announce your trip to the Galapagos on social networks. » And also: “Equip a lighting or random music system that simulates human presence, install webcams which, without preventing burglaries, facilitate police investigations.

Another recommendation: do not touch anything in the event of a burglary before the arrival of investigators from the technical and scientific police who – be patient – ​​sometimes take hours to arrive on site precisely because they are busy elsewhere. “I also recommend that readers of Marais Mood register online for Operation Tranquility Holidays, which allows you to have your accommodation monitored during vacation periods,” said the police officer, continuing the tour of the police station, from the room video surveillance from the roads to the police custody cells, including the offices where officers collect complaints from the public – without forgetting the terrace with a breathtaking view of the Marais.

“In addition to the crimes mentioned above, there are of course scams involving fake garbage collectors or fake plumbers as well as countless telephone scams which begin with an SMS requesting the updating of Ameli, Netflix and other Vitale card account data,” lists Lechevalier again.

Paris Center police station, © Anaïs Costet

The divisional commissioner finally points out the PoliceRendezVous online system which is aimed at victims of theft, rape, domestic violence and allows them to file a complaint or a referral before taking legal action. To close the interview, the officer discusses the progress made by his services in the field of collecting complaints from victims of rape or domestic violence - “a problem which concerns all social circles”, he says. “In this matter, my teams and I remain modest. I am not giving us a score of 20 out of 20. But we are doing things much better than twenty years ago, by striving to collect testimonies as tactfully as possible. »

▼ Paris Center Police Station
14 Rue Perrée, 75003 Paris
Public reception 24 hours a day
Tel: +01 42 76 13 00
Emergency police: 17

Paris Center police station, © Anaïs Costet

Text: Axel G.

07.11.22