The ceremony began with the traditional mass at the Saint-Nithier church, mass in honor of Saint Geneviève, a figure of dedication and courage, recognized as the protector of the police. Officiated by Monseigneur Garin, bishop of the diocese of Saint-Claude, assisted by Jean Ligier, chaplain to the Gendarmerie Group, the mass brought together serving gendarmes, retirees, families and representatives of local authorities. “You are men and women who put concern for the common good first. You work so that peace and public tranquility are respected by all,” declared chaplain Jean Ligier.
At the end of the religious service, the participants met in the village hall for speeches by the various speakers.
During his speech, Colonel Sauge-Merle, commander of the Jura Gendarmerie Group, praised the professionalism and keen sense of duty of his teams, emphasizing that “this celebration remains a highlight in the life of our units, a moment of sharing, of introspection too.” He spoke of the summer season which had just ended, an unprecedented and intense season due to the succession of events of all kinds which punctuated it. “The events of this summer, through their diversity, represented a real test of our capacities for anticipation and reaction. You have demonstrated the strength of our organization and our preparedness to cope.” He then developed some figures, in particular the 72 soldiers from the Group deployed to secure the Olympic Games, the 100 gendarmes involved in large-scale events such as the No Logo Festival, the 63 refusals to comply having given rise to arrest and fines. , the 18 gendarmes injured on the public highway during intervention. He recalled the 12,406 interventions for facts of all kinds since the start of the year.
The Prefect of Jura, Serge Castel, then reaffirmed the recognition of the State and its full support: “Commitment, the common good, integrity and justice are values that resonate with you. To serve these values, your mobilization commands admiration.”
