Law enforcement in Monaco

Law enforcement in Monaco is provided by an armed national police force consisting of 517 men and women. [Monaco Government [http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/59309da3a39813f3c125706f00473ebagb?OpenDocument&6Gb] retrieved on October 5 2007] There is also a (mainly ceremonial) bodyguard unit for the Prince and his palace called the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince which numbers over 100 officers and men, and is equipped with modern weapons including M-16 rifles and 9mm pistols. [Monaco Government [http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/cbcafb1db7fd6ca0c1256f8f00348d7egb?OpenDocument&4Gb] retrieved on October 5 2007] A member of INTERPOL, [ [http://www.interpol.int/Public/Icpo/Members/default.asp INTERPOL Member states list] retrieved on May 18 2007] the law enforcement agencies of Monaco enjoy relatively low crime rates - INTERPOL statistics state that for murder, the rate in 2001 was 3.33 per 100,000 population for Monaco (1 murder); between 1996 and 2001 Monaco also enjoyed significant decreases in burglary and violent crime. [Crime and Society [http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/faculty/rwinslow/europe/monaco.html article] retrieved on May 18 2007] The armed and well-trained Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers provides an extensive civil defence service in support of law enforcement, in addition to fire and rescue services.

Organization

The Monaco police force comes under the administration of the Direction of Public Safety which was created on June 23 1902 [Monaco Government [http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/59309da3a39813f3c125706f00473ebafr?OpenDocument&6Fr page] retrieved on May 18 2007] under the Department of the Interior. [POLIS.OCSE Police Online Profiles [http://polis.osce.org/countries/details?item_id=55 page] retrieved on May 18 2007] The police force itself consists of several divisions, including Criminal, Urban, Administrative, Maritime and Airport, and each division has several departments. The Criminal Police Division has three main departments, Criminal Investigations, Criminal Identity (coordinating with INTERPOL) and Resources. The Urban Police Division coordinates the activities of the uniformed police officers and also employs a number of units, including a General Police Brigade, Specialized Intervention Unit, Operational Command Centre and a Secretariat to the Police Court. [POLIS.OCSE Police Online Profiles [http://polis.osce.org/countries/details?item_id=55 page] retrieved on May 18 2007]

The Administrative Police Division is responsible for the movement of foreign nationals through Monaco's borders, while the Division of the Administration and the Formation handles administration matters for the police force, and the Maritime and Airport Police Divisions police the seas and skies of Monaco. The latter divisions both employ departments pertaining to air and sea rescue, water surveillance and the coordination of trans-border police operations with Monaco's neighbours. [POLIS.OCSE Police Online Profiles [http://polis.osce.org/countries/details?item_id=55 page] retrieved on May 18 2007] The Division of the Maritime and Airport Police (DPMA) itself was created on 16 August 1960 when security issues in the air and on the water were transferred to the control of the Director of Public Safety, and since 1961 the division has grown to consist of 5 officers and 27 civil servants. [Monaco Government Maritime and Airport Police [http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/06796c8b07b40c22c125706f00475e39gb?OpenDocument&6Gb page] retrieved on May 18 2007]

Notes