THE DARK SIDE OF THE POLICE

Inspector at 36, Quai des Orfèvres, specialist in the fight against drugs in Marseille circles, Jean-Pierre Colombiès is now a recognized figure in the field of policing—some would say he has become “the loudmouth of the police in the media.” In this book, he methodically confronts his unshakeable confidence in the institution with the proven excesses of the Grande Boutique. He recalls those moments when, in order to “make a good deal,” he was asked to peddle heroin to those who were likely to help him make a big seizure, i.e., those moments when the state asked him to become a dealer in order to catch dealers. He describes those moments when the police are encouraged to “make numbers” by making random arrests rather than intervening wisely. He reveals the influence of corrupt networks that rule the institution, promoting incompetent individuals or protecting deviant agents. He denounces the tyranny of statistics that guide civil servants to the detriment of the service provided to the population. He shows how the “forces of law and order” can be called upon to “break citizens” to set an example—yes, even in France. And, regretfully, he emphasizes how much hatred of the police, but also the clumsiness of the more or less “big bosses” of the Boutique, can render ineffective the efforts of officers committed every day to serving the public.

Jean-Pierre Colombiès was a narcotics inspector in Paris and Marseille. Drawing on his experience, he then specialized in crimes against persons. Since retiring, he has been in constant demand by media outlets ranging from Beur FM to BFM, where his apolitical but always outspoken freedom of speech surprises and fascinates.