The City Police force of Marseille: close call on the canebière | Appels d'Urgence | NT 1

With 416 officers for 900,000 inhabitants, Marseille has the largest city police force in France. Every day it faces situations that are both varied and delicate. Whether driving offences, rising petty crime, never-ending thefts, confrontations with colorful lawbreakers or even physical conflict with seasoned criminals, the police and gendarmes of France’s second largest city lead exciting lives. They also have to deal with the hostility and provocation of offenders, who are quick to rally the population in their support, a situation that often makes the job difficult. Crews from the magazine followed the daily round of some of these officers.