Bouches-du-Rhône: the police prefecture welcomes «exceptional results» for 2017 in the fight against drug trafficking

Edito.14 deaths in 13 gangland killings, a 28.9% increase in drug trafficking charges, 50 networks dismantled, 1,448 kilograms of cannabis seized since 2015… In his press kit Regarding crime trends in 2017, the Bouches-du-Rhône Police Prefecture commends the «exceptional results […] achieved» thanks to in-depth investigations and its daily presence on public streets.

Although there can be no doubt about «the strong commitment of the police and gendarmerie to combating all forms of crime,» should these figures really be viewed as a success?

The number of gang-related killings certainly fell by half in 2017. But the figures for early 2018 are already on par with those from 2016. Olivier de Mazières, police chief of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, explained this in February in 20Minutes : »2017 was particularly low in this regard. We recorded 13 gang-related killings resulting in the deaths of 14 people, compared to 26 such killings in 2016 and 29 deaths. The start of 2018 is following the same trend as 2016. We’re seeing between 20 and 25 gang-related killings. There hasn’t been a sharp increase; this is in line with 2014, 2015, and 2016. There may be erratic fluctuations, including downward trends.»

All other figures are on the rise. Does this indicate greater police effectiveness, or simply a never-ending increase in trafficking? The dismantled networks are immediately replaced. The 1,448 kilograms of cannabis seized over three years are just a drop in the France's annual consumption of 360 metric tons. The lack of resources is still widely criticized, despite the 144,000 arrests made each year in France for violations of the narcotics law—the vast majority of which are for personal use.

Are police resources being misused? Is a criminal justice response no longer sufficient? Other countries have asked themselves the same questions—with different answers. France is now one of the last European countries not to have decriminalized drug use. Although decriminalization does not directly address the problems of drug trafficking—since it allows them to persist—it does have the merit of easing the pressure on casual users.

And stop patting ourselves on the back for «exceptional results» that are just for show?