Garde champêtre


A garde champêtre is the combination of a forest ranger, game warden and code enforcement officer in certain rural communes in France.

Organization

Their job is to report to the local mayor. Many of these officers carry firearms and other weapons. Mayors decide which weapons to provide them with, but gardes champêtres can purchase, retain and carry a much wider range of weapons than the urban police '' are allowed. They are not under the supervision of the Gendarmerie but under the mayor's, their employer.

History and future development

From 1791 to 1958 it was compulsory for each rural commune to employ a garde champêtre. Since then many formerly rural communes are heavily or totally urbanised and the number in post has been shrinking every year. A draft law in 2014, provided for the integration of the remaining gardes champêtres with the police municipale and the highway control officers into a new police territoriale.

Uniforms and rank insignia

Their uniforms are not regulated and are at the mayor's discretion; they are traditionally green. The only compulsory element of their dress is a metal badge or cloth patch bearing the words: "LA LOI", the name of the commune and that of the garde champêtre. They cannot legally wear the dress attributed to the police municipale.