Description

Also known as a maritime gendarme, this officer is part of the Le Havre Maritime Gendarmerie Company, a specialist unit. Together with his colleagues, he is primarily responsible for maritime policing and the constant surveillance of waterways and maritime approaches. Like his counterparts on land, he helps to carry out missions involving the control, protection and defence of property, public order and individuals.

Qualities and skills

• Discipline
• Availability
• Respect for the chain of command and sound exercise of authority
• Integrity and ethics
• Sense of duty and altruism
• Team spirit and the ability to work as part of a team
• Ability to keep a cool head
• Be athletic and in excellent physical condition
• Be a good swimmer and know how to steer a boat
• Adaptability and emotional stability

Educational and training requirements

It is not possible to become a maritime gendarme directly. You must first serve as a gendarme in a departmental unit.

To become a gendarme, you must pass the entrance examination for a gendarmerie academy (via a competitive examination for certain ranks).

After completing two years’ service, it is then possible to apply to join the maritime gendarmerie. There are then several training programmes dedicated to the maritime gendarmerie. By obtaining qualifications and/or successfully passing internal competitive examinations, it is entirely possible to progress within this corps.

Sectors and organisations

The maritime gendarmerie is organised across mainland France into groups, companies and then units. In mainland France, there are four major groups, including one covering the English Channel and the North Sea. However, the place of posting depends on the assignments allocated; the choice of unit is based on the results achieved during training.

The Maritime and Port Security Platoons (PSMP) are units of the Maritime Gendarmerie specialising in maritime operations and within French ports. They are the equivalent of the Gendarmerie’s Surveillance and Intervention Platoons (PSIG) on land.