“It’s true that we’re more used to seeing them on the side of the road, punishing drivers”, Catherine laughs. She had only come to do her shopping, and she was rather surprised to see the gendarmes hold a stand in his supermarket in Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne, this Saturday afternoon. “I find it very nice, it makes them more human I think.”
The purpose of this operation for the gendarmes was to show that the gendarmes are not only there to issue tickets. “Our road safety work represents only 12% of our activity”, explains Captain Christophe Villena.
Bring dialogue
On the table, brochures on domestic violence, digital security, power of attorney… “When we go into contact with the population, people are less reluctant to talk to us, explains Lieutenant Claire Toval. They have information to give or questions to ask, which in their minds has no interest in being brought to the gendarmerie. Here, we are really in touch, it frees up speech I think”.
Recruitment operation
But the objective of this day was also to recruit. When you’re a teenager, it’s always easier to come and ask questions in this context than to dare to come to the gendarmerie. “It also makes it possible to expose the different professions of the gendarme, develops Captain Villena. It is an opportunity for them to come and find us, in the gallery, while they are shopping with their parents. “
And the police remind us: the doors of the gendarmeries are open if someone needs information.