Emergency police and community police merge in Lausanne. The grouping of these two divisions aims to free up resources to increase the police presence in public spaces, essentially in order to fight against street dealing.
This reorganization, effective this October, makes it possible to triple the number of police officers engaged in foot patrols. From now on, depending on the time of day, between 12 and 54 uniformed police officers will roam the center of the Vaud capital, Lausanne police commander Olivier Botteron announced Monday during a press conference. Depending on events, more than 50 other uniformed police officers may be immediately mobilized.
These patrols are active during the day (7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.) in several sensitive areas, starting on the Place de la Riponne, where most of the street dealing takes place, but also in the sectors of Chauderon, Bel-Air, St- François, Marterey, Tunnel and Sébeillon. Pedestrian coverage is also reinforced at night, particularly in Flon during the weekend.
“Break down the silos”
The increase in the number of police officers on the street constitutes “the main tool at our disposal” to try to stem offenses linked to drug trafficking which, in Lausanne as elsewhere in Switzerland, has been exploding for several months, noted Pierre- Antoine Hildbrand, the Lausanne municipal officer in charge of security.
The use of foot patrols is, however, “intensive” in personnel, which is why the Lausanne police were forced to reorganize. The merger of the two divisions should thus make it possible to free up more resources and gain flexibility by “breaking down silos”, added the municipal official.
Olivier Botteron also noted this need to “innovate” to improve the current situation, to seek “greater efficiency” in terms of use of staff. The commander, however, recognized that it was “not trivial” to merge two “historical” entities, with different cultures and missions.
Nearly 200 positions
The people affected by the merger will have to be more versatile, but this “diversity of tasks” must be seen as a benefit, both for the population and for the police officers themselves, estimated Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand.
The new division, which does not yet have a name, includes 186 full-time equivalents (FTE). It should rise to 200 next year. For Olivier Botteron, this merger only constitutes “the first step” in restructuring the police in the face of current problems.
In front of the press at the Police Headquarters, Pierre-Antoine Hildbrand and Olivier Botteron repeated that their desire was to “calm” the city center, to “reassure the population and traders”. According to their “philosophy”, an increased police presence on the street will have a deterrent and preventive effect. “Our goal is not to increase the number of arrests,” they insisted.
This article was automatically published. Source: ats
Related News :