Police unions warn of insufficient staffing in the Lyon metropolitan area

This Monday, September 16, dozens of police officers assigned to police stations in the Lyon metropolitan area were transferred. The unions assure that these movements are not compensated by recruitment and warn of chronic staff shortages.

Several police unions in the Lyon metropolitan area are warning of an understaffed return to school with the transfers of around fifty officers on Monday, September 16.

The balance between departures and arrivals in the Lyon metropolitan area has been negative for several years now. “We have now reached a critical threshold,” says Christophe Pradier, Unsa Police departmental delegate. “We are below 2,500 police officers in Lyon. As a reminder, in 2019, we had 3,000 officers.”

This observation is shared by the Unité union. “There is a shortage of 450 to 500 staff,” estimates Sébastien Gendraud, its departmental secretary.

The Rhône prefecture does not share the unions’ analysis. State services indicate that 680 police officers and gendarmes have arrived in the last three years.

“Colleagues want to flee Lyon”

Christophe Pradier disputes the official statistics. “There were 300 arrivals, no more, which unfortunately did not compensate for the 600 departures. Increasing the workforce in Lyon is good, but we must prevent them from leaving, and retain them. Today, working conditions are such that colleagues want to flee Lyon.” The unions point out the consequences of this lack of resources.

“Fewer personnel means less presence on the ground, therefore less prevention of attacks, and our colleagues cannot intervene safely,” describes Sébastien Gendraud, who is calling for at least 100 police officers for Greater Lyon when the next class leaves school at the beginning of November.

A Source close to the case told BFM Lyon that negotiations are underway to recruit police officers and that the CRS 83, this unit specializing in the fight against urban violence and public order disturbances installed in Chassieu for 10 months, will be reinforced. For the unions, these contributions are considered insufficient at this stage.