Viviane Moos

I accompanied the French police for eight weeks in Toulouse and two weeks in the Hauts de Seine (suburbs of Paris). The idea for my project came to me as I was showing my portfolio to various European magazines. Everyone was amazed at the images on domestic violence that I had shot while working with the police in New York. “These are powerful images but you could never do this kind of work here in France”. I was intrigued by the idea that they believed that neither the French police nor the French public would allow me the access that I had been given both in the USA and in Brazil. I knew that the French faced all the same social problems. I worked alongside the General Service police, the Section d’Intervention (SI) and the Brigade Anti-Criminalité (BAC). All three services back each other up in dangerous situations. In Paris I also accompanied the Unités Mobile de Securité (UMS) and the Sureté Departementale. The French police gave me total access. I was allowed to work with any service and join any team I desired. I was not censored nor restricted at any time. With only rare exceptions, they welcomed me with warmth and friendship and agreed to be photographed. They gave me their trust and allowed me to be part of what they did. I chose Toulouse because it is the only city in France that has a Service d’Accueil et de Prévention (SAP) a unique service within the police department that deals with the prevention of domestic violence.

Today’s police have a challenging job. Apart from their authoritarian role, the police are expected to function as social workers, confessors and arbitrators. They are asked to share people’s most intimate, sometimes traumatic and often tragic moments. Very often the police find themselves with few choices. It is up to the individual policeman to decide what is the correct procedure.

The police do not always have the means to keep the peace. With regards to the general public, the mutual atmosphere of distrust only adds to the negative image the French have of the police. In contrast to the USA, France’s population still has few weapons, but the problem of armed criminals and citizens who are arming themselves for their own protection is growing rapidly. The police appear to be willing and able to do a good job but they do not have the rights they need to combat armed criminals or even youths armed with rocks and bottles and sometimes tear-gas.

Based on my experience, I found the French national police well trained and professional. They know the locations they are asked to work in and I saw them act with compassion and patience. But I shared with them the tremendous sense of frustration and futility they felt at the lack of direction and support in dealing with urban crime. I also experienced their feeling of isolation, of having only your colleagues to talk to because all others are afraid of you. One cop told me that her sister no longer spoke to her since she had joined the police.

Today’s police must account much more severely than the public for any mistake they make. Their job is made very difficult by the general erosion of respect for authority around them. They are expected to risk their lives but receive little thanks. The public rarely has a kind word or a friendly look for the police. They are isolated by the very public who expects them to be there when they need them.