National tribute to Éric Comyn: the spokesperson for the national gendarmerie deplores “a hundred gendarmes injured each year” because of refusals to comply

A national tribute, presided over by the Minister of the Interior, will be paid on Monday afternoon in Nice to Éric Comyn, who was fatally injured during a refusal to comply on July 26.

“I have been a spokesperson for two years now and for two years we have regularly had comrades die on missions, so today we will really all be together in spirit, everywhere in France.”testified on Monday September 2 on franceinfo Marie-Laure Pezant, spokesperson for the national gendarmerie, while a national tribute, presided over by the Minister of the Interior, will be paid Monday afternoon in Nice to Éric Comyn.

The warrant officer, a member of the motorized gendarmerie platoon, was fatally injured a week ago by a motorist who refused to submit to a road check on the A8, in Mougins, in the Alpes-Maritimes. The driver, known for road traffic offences, tested positive for alcohol when he was arrested. He has since been charged with “murder of a person in authority” and placed in pre-trial detention.

In addition to this tribute, there will also be moments of reflection in the prefectures “Monday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.”specifies Marie-Laure Pezant. “Those who wish can show their support to the gendarmerie”the spokesperson said.

Due to refusals to comply, the national gendarmerie has each year “A hundred or even 150 gendarmes who are injured and who have after-effects, sometimes some can no longer carry out their duties”deplores Marie-Laure Pezant. While aggravated refusals to comply (those which endanger the physical integrity of a person) have increased by 95% between 2012 and 2022, according to a parliamentary report, she recognizes a “a phenomenon of magnitude, very dangerous, and against which we will redouble our efforts to fight”.

The spokesperson for the national gendarmerie recalls that there is “specialized units in the fight against road insecurity”which have a “extensive training to implement controls securely and to be able to react to deviant and irresponsible behavior”. Marie-Laure Pezant indicates that the police officers called upon to carry out this type of road check have “highly visible chasubles”are positioned “in a lit area to be seen”put in place “a corridor to slow down cars”, and can be equipped with a harrow. “Our priority objective is the safety of the police, the people we control and third parties”assures the spokesperson for the national gendarmerie.

Marie-Laure Pezant finally insists on prevention to avoid this kind of tragedy: “We also need to reach out to the young people, develop a culture of road safety and respect for the security forces.“, declares the spokesperson for the national gendarmerie.