After the arrest of the attacker in Arras, Didier Rendu, union representative, recalled the current difficulties of the police, who lack resources but are called on all fronts.
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“It’s very difficult to get inside the head of an individual who, outwardly, shows nothing”explained Saturday on franceinfo Didier Rendu, deputy secretary general of the union of internal security executives CFDT (SCSI-CFDT). The main suspect in the knife attack at the Arras high school (Pas-de-Calais) Mohamed M., 20 years old and on file S, remained silent during the first hours of his police custody.
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He was closely monitored by the intelligence services. “He had been checked the day before and the police also analyzed the messages he could send on his encrypted messaging system”assures Didier Rendu.
Around 20,000 people are under surveillance in France, including 4,000 for signs of radicalization, the police officer said. “This means that we need between 15 and 20 police officers to physically monitor these individuals. In terms of police personnel, we would need approximately 80,000 additional personnel if we wanted to physically monitor all of these individuals”he explains.
Extremely mobilized police officers
France went on “emergency attack” alert on Friday and up to 7,000 soldiers from the Sentinel force will be deployed in the territory, the Élysée announced. The police have been in enormous demand in recent weeks, particularly for the Rugby World Cup, the visit of Pope Francis to Marseille and that of King Charles III. “It’s getting very complicated.”, defends Didier Rendu. He denounced “postures” that some politicians are “likely to take” while denouncing “a dysfunction” after the attack on the Arras high school.
In a tense international context and faced with police forces that cannot be expanded, securing the territory becomes complicated: “One priority chases the other. Today, we are securing stadiums, tomorrow, we are securing Jewish interests, the day after tomorrow, we are going to secure schools, the police are already everywhere. They are trying to do their best and my colleagues are 200% mobilized on all missions”he assures.