New agents in black and green uniforms, armed with tear gas canisters and telescopic defense batons, have been patrolling since Friday afternoon in the residences of the social park in Montpellier (Hérault), but also in Castelnau-le-Lez, Juvignac and Jacou . They are not police officers, nor even municipal police officers. This contingent of a new type, composed (in particular) of former police officers, gendarmes or soldiers, forms the brigade of “residential tranquility”, promised by the mayor, Michaël Delafosse (PS), during the last municipal election campaign.
These 18 agents (but there will soon be others) are responsible, by the metropolis of Montpellier and the five main social landlords of the territory (ACM Habitat, FDI Habitat, CDC Habitat, Erilia and SFHE), of ensuring tranquility tenants of social housing, fight against incivility and ensure order in residences.
“No one should go home with a lump in their stomach”
“An elected official, when he is in touch with the field, he hears the distress of these fellow citizens,” confided the mayor, during the review of this new troop. “The first day of my mandate, a lady came to see me and said, ‘Mr. Mayor, I want to change social housing. I have neighbors who prevent me from sleeping, who intimidate me.’ I told her “Madam, it’s not you who should leave, it’s those who don’t respect the rule who should be punished.” » And there is this day, when, continued the elected official, an agent of a social landlord was threatened, in Hauts-de-Massane. “Men of easy virtue had seized public space, had threatened this agent, had threatened the neighborhood committee,” continues the mayor and president of the Montpellier metropolis. These two anecdotes are emblematic of the challenges facing all mayors today. » So “we can bury our heads in the sand”, confided Michaël Delafosse. Or we act.
“This is why we created this brigade,” underlined the elected official. No one should go home with a lump in their stomach. No one should be afraid, at 8 p.m., to go out in these moments of chiaroscuro. Because who lives in social housing? Some people can secure their villa or apartment and take out insurance. But in social housing, our most vulnerable citizens live. »
“Problems fester because there is no mediation”
These agents will be on the ground 7 days a week, from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. They will patrol, interact with residents. And they will be reachable, via an on-call telephone line, in the event of problems. “We will intervene at the request of tenants, to manage noise pollution, groupings, drug trafficking and consumption, etc.,” confides Twiggy Ridde, the operational manager of this brigade. This will be our priority. » “Tenants must be able to come and go in the residences without being bothered,” adds Steve Lefebvre, the general director of this new contingent, a former member of the security of the Presidency of the Republic.
Bruno is a tenant of a social residence, in the city center of Montpellier, and an administrator with his landlord. He approves this new system launched by the metropolis and five social landlords. He has never, personally, been confronted with serious incivility. But he has in mind, he confides to 20 minutes, “examples of situations where, if there had been the presence of authorized people, this would certainly have avoided problems. Problems fester because there is no mediation. »
“Have a smile, hold the door, answer questions…”
Martine, for her part, occupies social housing in a street in l’Ecusson, full of bars, where people party until midnight. “I never called the police,” she assures. But it is changing. Those who until now only consumed alcohol are now using drugs. » So if the brigade can fix it, Martine would be relieved.
But these agents will not be there only to enforce the law. They will also have “a technical perspective”, indicates Steve Lefebvre, the general director of this new brigade. “When they enter the buildings, they will check the elevators, fire safety, etc., and send this information to the landlords,” he continues. And this new brigade will also be there to “recreate links with tenants. Being present, on the ground, in contact with them, having a smile, holding the door for elderly people, answering questions… All of that is important. »