# France police information



## robertferguson670

I need help with research! I am a writer working on a short story based in rural France, near Montauban, in the Tarn-et-Garonne department. I would be highly grateful if you have friends in the French police or an ex/police officer to assist with my research. I understand there are two variations in the French police system... so I need to get the correct details to make the story accurate.

The info I need is:


Two police officers investigating a murder in 1975 [One man and one woman]
What ranks does each officer hold, and what branch of the police force would they work in? I believe in the 1970s; the Sûreté national was one of the national police forces.

I appreciate any help you can give me.

My very best regards

Robert Ferguson
Author & Writer
<snip>


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## Lydi

Hello Robert.
They would probably have been working for the _Police Judiciaire_:


> The _police judiciaire_ comprise a variety of actions undertaken under the direction and supervision of the judiciary. They include:
> 
> pursuing and arresting suspects
> interrogating suspects in some phases of judicial enquiries
> gathering evidence
> serving search warrants
> souce


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## ChrisCran

Its confusing, but "Police judiciaire" is primarily a legal role with specific powers of investigation (see post 2). Only specific people of Police Nationale or Gendarmerie Nationale get this role. They are "Officiers de Police Judiciaire (OPJ)" or "Agent de Police Judiciaire".

In cities, and for important things (terrorism,...) this role is devolute to the "Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (DCPJ)", with regional subsidiaries "Service Regional de la Police Judiciaire (SRPJ)". The DCPJ replaced the sûreté national in 1969.
The DCPJ/SRPJ is commonly called "PJ".

In rural areas, this role is devolute to the "sections de recherche" (SR) of the Gendarmerie Nationale (which is a military corp).

You can translate this article : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_de_recherches_(Gendarmerie_nationale)?wprov=sfla1

And this article too : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direction_générale_de_la_Sûreté_nationale_(France)?wprov=sfla1


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