The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will involve the mobilization of general personnel forces to ensure that the event unfolds smoothly. One unexpected feature of this process is that the Ministry of the Interior and French Overseas Departments will be seeking the support of their administrative staff to help with the detection of suspicious objects.
The administrative staff at the Ministry of the Interior, as well as officials at the Police Prefecture of Paris, will be involved in this process. Their assistance will be specifically targeted at detecting suspicious objects in alignment with specialized services, taking into account that they are willing to step out of their offices to assist, alongside canine teams.
Before their actual deployment, these potential candidates will have to undergo a five-day training program, which amounts to 30 hours in total. They will have to familiarize themselves with some crucial aspects including explosives detection, the management of public transport, security perimeters, and the procedures for searching people, vehicles, and buildings. During the Olympic Games, they may receive financial compensation along with other benefits that are currently under negotiation.
Beyond the administrative support, the security forces will also include other personnel such as reservists, police and gendarmes, and trainees from police and gendarmerie schools. The number of police support needed is significant, with more than 30,000 members of the security forces expected to be on duty on average each day and 45,000 for the opening ceremony.
Alongside their commitment to the event, certain aspects of their work conditions, such as shifts and additional payment, are also under negotiation. Their substantial workload, combined with the ongoing risks of terrorism and public disorder, has led to requests from some police unions for further considerations in their compensation and additional support to manage other personal needs.
To discuss these and more subjects, a major union is planning a mobilization effort on January 18, highlighting areas of concern that extend beyond the working conditions and bonuses. The issues of accommodation for off-site mobilized officers in the Paris region and childcare support are among the demand list.
