The number of investigations carried out by the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) into the use of force by police officers on public roads is significantly increasing in 2022, notes the “police of police” in its annual report.
In 2022, 38 people died following police action, including 22 after a shooting, also notes the IGPN in its report, discreetly posted online Thursday, 48 hours before a call from the far left and various organizations to demonstrate against police violence.
Of these 22 deaths, 13 are linked to a refusal to comply. However, shootings during refusals to comply are down in 2022, to 138 compared to 157 in 2021, i.e. the “lowest level” since 2017 (202), the year of the entry into force of a law which modified the conditions for opening fire by the police.
Figure “clearly increasing”
In total, the IGPN received 1,065 judicial investigations in 2022, a “stable” number over 3 years, after a sharp increase in 2019, linked to the “yellow vest” movement. As in other years, almost half (48%) of these investigations concern the use of force by the police.
And “it is on public roads that police officers most frequently use force,” notes the inspection, which received 272 investigations for use of force “during an arrest or a similar operation” (i.e. 54% of cases). “This figure is clearly increasing since it represented 37% of allegations in 2021,” adds the IGPN.
244 sanctions proposals, the lowest number since 2016
The number of investigations into the use of firearms by police officers in operation is also increasing, with 47 investigations, compared to 38 in 2021. With the exception of investigations for racist or discriminatory insults, which remain at a low level. “equal” (52 investigations) and those for forgery in public documents which are decreasing, investigations for other types of offenses are all increasing.
Investigations for theft (64) are thus on the rise “after six consecutive years” of decline. Those for active and passive corruption (respectively 27 and 29), as well. Just like violations of professional secrecy (74 referrals) and misappropriation of files (56 referrals).
On the administrative side, the inspection received 192 investigations in 2022 and noted 565 failings on the part of civil servants. The IGPN proposed the referral of 112 agents to the disciplinary council and issued a total of 244 proposed sanctions (reprimands, warnings, etc.), the lowest number since 2016.