Five questions about foreign security officers who will be involved in protecting the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Nearly 1,800 foreign security agents from around forty countries will participate in securing the Games. This is a form of mutual assistance that is customary in the context of international events.

Maximum security. The Paris Games will already mobilize nearly 35,000 police officers and gendarmes and 18,000 French soldiers, and they will not be alone. Foreign security agents from all over the world have already started arriving in France to help secure the world’s largest sporting event, with more than 15 million visitors expected. Where do these agents come from? What tasks will they be mobilized for? Franceinfo takes stock.

1 How many foreign agents are mobilized?

They constitute only a fraction of the mobilized personnel. Around 1,800 international reinforcements will be mobilized in France this summer, under the supervision of the National Coordination for the Security of the Olympic Games, according to the Ministry of the Interior to franceinfo.

These agents come from a “quarantine” of partner countries, according to the ministry. Among them, 31 European states, as well as nations from other continents, such as South Korea or Qatar.

2 Where will they be deployed?

“A large number of them will be deployed in train stations, airports and around the 39 Olympic and sporting venues.”specifies the Ministry of the Interior.

3 How were they selected?

Countries participating in this operation “were identified by the DCIS internal security services network [Direction de la coopération internationale de sécurité]“explains the Ministry of the Interior. Among the criteria studied, “expertise and [le] high level of technical competence corresponding to the needs expressed by the French internal security departments, units and services”.

4 What skills were required?

Among the security personnel dispatched to France, there are notably: “many foreign specialists” as “specialized dog teams for searching for explosives, as well as experts in the fight against drones, border guards, spotters [observateurs pour détecter des comportements suspects]mine clearers, horse riders and even motorcyclists”specifies the Ministry of the Interior.

Even if they act at the request of the State, these foreign agents do not have judicial prerogatives when they act on French soil, and will not be able to carry out arrests or checks alone. These reinforcements will therefore be “systematically in pairs” with French internal security forces, the Interior Ministry emphasizes.

5 Why does France need these agents?

The Minister of the Interior points out that the practice is common. “All major international events in all countries of the world do this. (…) It is normal to have police officers, gendarmes, civil security agents, mine clearance experts from foreign countries to help at the biggest event in the world”stressed Gérald Darmanin on franceinfo on July 15.

In fact, France has already benefited from this type of system during several events. This was the case, for example, during Euro 2016 with 180 police officers from 23 countries, or during the 2023 Rugby World Cup with 160 European police officers and gendarmes. France itself sends officers abroad during international events, such as for the 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar, in which 220 gendarmes and spotters tricolors.

Gérald Darmanin also highlights the interest of this presence for foreign teams and tourists. Foreign agents “help the national teams to develop well, to have contact with the police and gendarmes of their country, but also the spectators, who can meet people who speak their language”the minister stressed on franceinfo.