The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are set to leave a significant legacy in Marseille and the Var regions, with the introduction of new maritime launches by the national police. These semi-rigid boats, each equipped with two 300 horsepower engines, will initially ensure the security of the sailing events in Marseille before being deployed along the coasts for patrol and interception duties. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 knots, these vessels will complement the existing police boats moored in the port of Marseille, ranging from patrol boats to interceptors.
The Mediterranean maritime prefecture has issued a restrictive decree prohibiting entry into the racing zone, effective from July 26 to August 9, to secure the Olympic regattas. Specialized in interception, the new police vessels will play a crucial role in maintaining the safety of the water area during the events. Major Marc Foyer, head of the maritime brigade of the Marseille police, emphasized the importance of anticipation and securing the harbor, as well as raising awareness among users about the maritime security system (DPSM).
More than fifty units from various administrations, including the national police, maritime gendarmerie, departmental gendarmes, National Navy, customs, and territorial and sea management, will be involved in ensuring the security and smooth running of the Olympic regattas. This coordinated effort will be managed from a local command post under the authority of the maritime prefect, in collaboration with the Olympic organizing committee and the police and department prefectures of Bouches-du-Rhône.
Renaud Muselier, president of the Paca region, highlighted that these boats will continue to secure the busy coastline in the Var and Bouches-du-Rhône regions even after the Olympics, contributing to peaceful navigation. The Paca region financed these ships with an investment of 757,000 euros.
In a related development, police unions have raised concerns about the 'unworthy conditions' in which student peacekeepers of the 272nd promotion, mobilized as reinforcements for the Paris Olympic Games, are being housed. Around 300 civil servants arrived at the Regional Center for University and School Works (Crous) Poissonnier in Paris, only to find their accommodation in a deplorable state. Approximately fifty of the 250 rooms allocated to them were found to be infested with cockroaches, with additional reports of animal droppings and dilapidated walls and equipment.
Jean-Christophe Couvy, national secretary of the Unité union, and Celya Larroque, head of the national student peacekeepers Alliance National Police division, expressed their indignation and called for immediate action. Despite a disinfestation operation carried out on Sunday, pests reappeared, prompting another round of disinfection efforts. The unions criticized the lack of prior checks on the accommodation, which could have prevented the issue.
