Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale
| Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1972 - present |
| Country |  France |
| Branch | French National Police |
| Type | Special Forces |
| Role | Domestic Counter-Terrorism and Law Enforcement |
| Size | 170 Operators in nine units |
| Motto | La cohésion fait la force ("Cohesion brings strength") |
| Engagements | Neuilly hostage crisis Anti-Action Directe arrests Anti-GIA operations 2005 Paris Riots |
GIPN is an initialism for Groupes d'Intervention de la Police Nationale or French National Police Intervention Groups. Its motto is "La cohésion fait la force" or "Cohesion brings strength."
Contents |
[edit] History
After the tragic events of the Munich massacre in which the Israeli team was kidnapped and then killed by Palestinian commandos, the various European police forces decided to form special units able to fight against forms of terrorism and for other crises such as excessive use of force, taking of hostages, escorts etc.
The first GIPN was created on October 27, 1972 and could only intervene at the request of judges or prosecutors. It was composed of thirty men who have the latest weapons and sophisticated equipment.
The National Police initially formed 11 intervention groups but reduced them to 7 by 1985. This was then expanded to 9 with the creation of GIPN units in Réunion in 1992 and in New Caledonia in 1993.
All the GIPN units are in contact with each other and after each mission they send their synthesis and their strategies to the other groups to share knowledge and if it is needed their intervention techniques.
The Ministerial Circular of August 4, 1995 established the policies of the use of the GIPN: organization, rules of engagement, territorial competence, missions, principles of actions, implemented, means and coordination.
[edit] Recruitment
Organised at the national level by the DCSP, the selections take place once a year and roll within a structure DFPN (ENP Saint-Malo or Nîmes) with the assistance of a group of psychologists.
All the National policemen and senior police officers apply, as long as they meet the administrative criteria a minimum of 5 years of service and be no more than 35 years old.
About fifty candidates are selected and conveyed to the selected site where, during a first week, they must pass a series of events, records review, personality tests, combat ability, claustrophobia, giddiness, athletic ability, swimming etc.
At the end of this first week, part of the candidates are eliminated, and them others continue with mental tests during 4 days.
After finishing these tests, a score of candidates will be admitted into the GIPN where their training now starts.
[edit] Organisation
The GIPN are units of the Central Directorate of Public Security (Fr: Direction Centrale de la Sécurité Publique or DCSP) which is the uniformed patrol and response branch of the French National Police. The DCSP has competency in 75 departments and within the territorial services of 7 large provincial towns (Lille, Strasbourg, Lyon, Nice, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Rennes) and overseas (La Réunion and New Caledonia).
RAID is a similar intervention force directly under the management of the national police force and of which the geographic competence which includes the 21 departments of Paris.
Composed of police officers recruited according to very selective criteria, equipped with the best and latest matériels and subjected to a rigorous and followed drive, the GIPN can furnish groups of police officers to the service of other police units.
They intervene with other services of the National police force, each time the situation requires it, with the constant concern for the preservation of the physical integrity of negotiators and only to use necessary force strictly that as a last resort.
[edit] Deployment of the GIPN in France
In France there are nine GIPN units containing over 170 personnel.
- In metropolitan France there are 7 units:
- In the overseas departments and territories of France there are 2 units:
-
- New Caledonia with 16 men
- Réunion with 16 men
[edit] Weapons and equipment
The GIPN arsenal includes a wide range of weapons such as:
- Pistols - Sig Sauer SIG Pro SP2022 (specially developed for the French Polices in the biggest single sidearm contract since WW2 with 250000 ordered guns for both polices), Glock 17 and Glock 26.
- Revolvers - Manurhin MR-73, Blacksmith and Smith & Wesson 686.
- Machine pistols - H&K MP5 A3 and SD6.
- Assault rifles - H&K G36K and G36C, and the firm of the SSG 551 and 552 commando.
- Sniper rifles - PGM Ultima Ratio and Steyr-Mannlicher SSG.
As for personal protection, the GIPN maintains kevlar helmets with bulletproof visors, bulletproof vests of different categories (II; III; IV or V), guards and knuckles; and armored shields.
[edit] See also
- Gendarmerie Nationale GIGN and EPIGN, France
- List of special response units
