Sûreté
Encyclopedia
Sûreté is a term used in French speaking countries or regions
in the organizational title of a civil police
force, especially the detective branch thereof.
was La Sûreté Nationale. It served initially as the criminal investigative bureau of the Paris police
and did not function as the national command and control organization until much later, by which time it no longer had any detective
s on its staff.
Both the PP of Paris's own Brigade Criminelle
and the Direction centrale de la police judiciaire trace their history directly to the Sûreté.
, who headed it until 1827. It was the inspiration for Scotland Yard
, the FBI, and other departments of criminal investigation throughout the world. Vidocq was convinced that crime could not be controlled by then-current police methods, so he organized a special branch of the criminal division modelled on Napoleon's political police. The force was to work undercover and its early members consisted largely of reformed criminals. By 1820 – eight years after its formation – it had blossomed into a 30-man team of experts that had reduced the crime rate in Paris by 40%.
The Sûreté is considered a pioneer of all crime fighting organizations in the world.
On 23 April 1941, the French police was nationalized under the Vichy regime and each was placed under the prefect, the term National Police was then first used. The sole exception was the Paris Prefecture of Police.
This organisational name was used during the Fourth and Fifth French Republic.
is now called the Sûreté du Québec
, even though Quebec was British when the Sûreté was founded in France. The force's original English name was Quebec Provincial Police (fr: Police Provinciale du Québec).
branch of the cantonal police
of the French
-speaking cantons of Switzerland
.
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
in the organizational title of a civil police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force, especially the detective branch thereof.
France
The former title of the French National PoliceFrench National Police
The National Police , formerly the Sûreté Nationale, is one of two national police forces and the main civil law enforcement agency of France, with primary jurisdiction in cities and large towns. The other main agency is the military Gendarmerie, with primary jurisdiction in smaller towns and rural...
was La Sûreté Nationale. It served initially as the criminal investigative bureau of the Paris police
Prefecture of Police
The Prefecture of Police , headed by the Prefect of Police , is an agency of the Government of France which provides the police force for the city of Paris and the surrounding three suburban départements of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne...
and did not function as the national command and control organization until much later, by which time it no longer had any detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
s on its staff.
Both the PP of Paris's own Brigade Criminelle
Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris
The Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris , often called the 36, quai des Orfèvres or simply the 36 by the address of its headquarters, is the division of the Police judiciaire in Paris...
and the Direction centrale de la police judiciaire trace their history directly to the Sûreté.
History
The Sûreté was founded in 1812 by Eugène François VidocqEugène François Vidocq
Eugène François Vidocq was a French criminal and criminalist whose life story inspired several writers, including Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac...
, who headed it until 1827. It was the inspiration for Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
, the FBI, and other departments of criminal investigation throughout the world. Vidocq was convinced that crime could not be controlled by then-current police methods, so he organized a special branch of the criminal division modelled on Napoleon's political police. The force was to work undercover and its early members consisted largely of reformed criminals. By 1820 – eight years after its formation – it had blossomed into a 30-man team of experts that had reduced the crime rate in Paris by 40%.
The Sûreté is considered a pioneer of all crime fighting organizations in the world.
On 23 April 1941, the French police was nationalized under the Vichy regime and each was placed under the prefect, the term National Police was then first used. The sole exception was the Paris Prefecture of Police.
This organisational name was used during the Fourth and Fifth French Republic.
Sûreté Nationale
On 9 July 1964, the previously independent police in Paris were placed under the Sûreté Nationale, and 10 July 1966 saw the final reorganization into the National Police in its present form.Notable original members
- Eugène François VidocqEugène François VidocqEugène François Vidocq was a French criminal and criminalist whose life story inspired several writers, including Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac...
– founder and first chief - Sergeant Rioux –
- Fouche
- Goury – a former swindler
- Ronquett – a cardshark
- Aube – an ex-forger
- Coco Lacour – a sneak thief
Québec
The provincial police force of QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
is now called the Sûreté du Québec
Sûreté du Québec
Sûreté du Québec or SQ is the provincial police force for the Canadian province of Québec...
, even though Quebec was British when the Sûreté was founded in France. The force's original English name was Quebec Provincial Police (fr: Police Provinciale du Québec).
Switzerland
The Sûreté is the name of the detectiveDetective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
branch of the cantonal police
Cantonal police
The Cantonal police are the law enforcement agencies for each of the 26 Swiss Cantons. Law enforcement in Switzerland is mainly a responsibility of the 26 cantons of Switzerland, which each operate cantonal police agencies. Some cities also operate municipal police agencies as provided for by...
of the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking cantons of Switzerland
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
.