A political row has broken out after the head of France's national police service, Frédéric Veaux, said that police officers should not be detained in custody even if they face serious accusations in the line of duty. His criticism of the legal system came after one of four police officers in Marseille facing an investigation for allegedly beating up a young man during the recent unrest was remanded in custody. Veaux's comments, which were supported by Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez, have attracted criticism from opposition politicians, though the government and its supporters have so far declined to condemn them. Mediapart's Fabien Escalona spoke to Sebastien Roché, director of research at the CNRS public research institute and a noted expert on police and security issues. He says that the unprecedented comments by France's two most senior cops highlight the political fragility of President Emmanuel Macron's government.
OnOn Sunday July 23rd the director general of France's national police service (DGPN) gave an explosive interview to Le Parisien newspaper. Four police officers in Marseille have been placed under investigation for allegedly beating up a young man, and police chief Frédéric Veaux said he regretted the fact that one of them had been remanded in custody. “Knowing that he is in prison is stopping me from sleeping,” he declared.
