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| Police aux Frontières | |
|---|---|
| Agencyname | Police aux Frontières |
| Nativename | Police aux Frontières |
| Abbreviation | PAF |
| Formed | 1918 |
| Country | France |
| Headquarters | Paris |
| Minister1name | Ministry of the Interior |
| Chief1name | Directorate-General of the National Police |
Police aux Frontières The Police aux Frontières is the French border police force responsible for immigration control, border security, and cross-border law enforcement at ports, airports, and land crossings. It operates alongside the Gendarmerie nationale, Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure, and other French security services, interacting with European Union agencies such as Frontex, national agencies like Office français de l'immigration et de l'intégration, and international organizations including Interpol and Europol. The force has evolved through legal reforms tied to treaties like the Schengen Agreement and events such as the European migrant crisis and September 11 attacks.
The origins trace to border controls after World War I and administrative reforms during the interwar period, influenced by incidents like the Sykes–Picot Agreement aftermath and shifts following World War II. Postwar reconstruction and decolonization—events such as the Algerian War and independence of territories like Algeria and Vietnam—reshaped migration patterns managed by the force. The accession of France to the Schengen Area and the implementation of the Schengen Borders Code transformed operational priorities, especially after the Lisbon Treaty and the rise of transnational crime linked to networks exposed during operations against groups such as the Corsican Action Service and cases like the Dutroux affair influenced public perceptions. Major reforms occurred under ministers including Nicolas Sarkozy, Bernard Cazeneuve, and Manuel Valls, aligning the force with EU external border policies and counterterrorism initiatives after attacks like the Charlie Hebdo shooting and the November 2015 Paris attacks.
The force is organized within the Police nationale hierarchy and coordinated by the Direction centrale de la Police aux Frontières under the Ministry of the Interior. Regional directorates correspond to prefectures such as Préfecture de Police de Paris, and operational units are deployed at gateways including Paris–Charles de Gaulle Airport, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, Port of Calais, and the Franco-Italian border. Specialized branches liaise with units like the Brigade de recherche et d'intervention and the Service central du renseignement territorial. The staff comprises inspectors, controllers, administrative personnel, and technical specialists using assets from the Direction générale de la police nationale and collaborating with maritime units like the Affaires maritimes and mountain rescuers such as the Peloton de gendarmerie de haute montagne at alpine passes.
Primary duties include passport checks at airports and seaports such as Marseille Provence Airport and Port of Marseille, visa enforcement in coordination with consulates like the Embassy of France in London, and migrant processing at reception centers like those in Calais. The PAF investigates trafficking networks linked to criminal organizations such as the Mafia and smuggling routes used by groups highlighted in probes like the Operation Sentinel-style initiatives. It enforces provisions of laws including the Code de l'entrée et du séjour des étrangers et du droit d'asile and cooperates with judicial authorities such as the Cour d'appel de Paris and prosecutors in cases remitted to courts like the Cour de cassation.
Operations range from document verification using systems such as Schengen Information System and VIS (Visa Information System) to biometric checks tied to databases like EUROPOL Secure Information Exchange Network Application. Field methods include border patrols at sites like the Channel Tunnel, identification controls at terminals like Gare du Nord, and joint interventions with units including the Brigade de recherche and the Service de protection des hautes personnalités. Technology deployments involve automated eGates modeled on those at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and biometric enrollment similar to programs in United Kingdom and Germany. Tactical methods derive from doctrines influenced by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime guidelines and counter-smuggling exercises with agencies like Customs and Excise and the National Crime Agency.
Mandates are rooted in national instruments such as the French Constitution provisions on internal security, the Code de la sécurité intérieure, and statutes implementing the Schengen Borders Code. Jurisdiction encompasses international transit points regulated by agreements like the Treaty of Rome-era legislation on free movement and bilateral accords with states including Italy, Spain, Belgium, and United Kingdom (pre- and post-Brexit arrangements). Judicial oversight involves coordination with tribunals like the Conseil d'État for administrative remedies and European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence affecting detention and expulsion practices. Legislative changes have responded to rulings from bodies such as the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Recruitment follows civil service procedures aligned with Concours systems and vocational training at centers such as the École nationale supérieure de la police and regional academies tied to institutions like the École nationale d'administration for managerial cadres. Curriculum covers immigration law referencing the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, operational tactics influenced by NATO partner exercises, language training for liaison with services in Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, and technical modules on database systems comparable to those used by UK Visas and Immigration and Bundespolizei. Continuous professional development includes courses in human rights jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights and counterterrorism modules modeled after programs at the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
The force has faced criticism over pushback allegations during migrant incidents near Calais Jungle, scrutiny from NGOs such as Médecins Sans Frontières and Amnesty International, and legal challenges citing European Convention on Human Rights violations. High-profile incidents prompted parliamentary inquiries in the Assemblée nationale and reports by bodies like the Conseil national des barreaux. Debates involve balancing security with obligations under treaties like the 1951 Refugee Convention and responses to civil society campaigns led by organizations including SOS Racisme and Human Rights Watch.
Cooperation includes joint operations with Frontex, intelligence sharing with Europol and Interpol, bilateral patrols under accords with Italy at the Alps and Ligurian Sea, coordinated checks with Belgium at the Calais-Dover axis, and maritime interdictions in cooperation with European Maritime Safety Agency. Exercises with partner forces such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and training exchanges with the German Federal Police and Polizia di Stato emphasize interoperability. Multilateral frameworks include protocols under Council of Europe instruments and participation in EU mechanisms responding to migration crises like the 2015 Mediterranean migrant shipwrecks.
Category:Law enforcement in France Category:Border guards