the Christmas markets closely watched by the police
While the Toulouse Christmas Market is now spread over several sites in the Pink City, the police are keeping watch. The official kick-off of the festivities was given only a few days ago, on the evening of November 25, but already the patrols are numerous to survey the alleys where the chalets have been installed. Indeed, for several weeks now, the national police have favored patrols on foot, and the Christmas market is no exception to this rule.
The interest is that we see more things and we ourselves are much more visible. It also allows us to provide information, the traders who are there all day will tell us about the problems observed in such and such a place, which allows us to adapt our patrols, depending on the time and place”, explains divisional commissioner Brua, in charge of the right bank.
About sixty patrols every day in Toulouse
This Wednesday, November 30, it is 6 p.m. when he and his men roam the Place du Capitole. If the market is only in its infancy, the people of Toulouse are already numerous to respond despite the cold now well installed. “The idea is to be present in areas where there is a lot of traffic and where there are likely to be problems such as pickpockets, shoplifting or groups that create incivility. can also be a dissuasive force, to ensure that we do not have to intervene in a repressive manner”, adds the commissioner, questioned by The Independent Opinion.
In the absence of any facts reported that day, the police officers thus wander from chalet to chalet, questioning the traders. Employees in a custom frame company based in La Teste-de-Buch, Gironde, Virginie and Guillaume are participating in the Toulouse market for the first year. “Everything is fine, no problem,” they say, smiling, to the police. The same is true a few meters further on, at the aligot stand, where the merchant, who is used to the place, is also satisfied with the security measures in force, with bag monitoring also being put in place at the entrance to the market.
With around sixty pedestrian patrols every day for the entire city of Toulouse, several of which are dedicated to Christmas markets, the police are thus mobilized throughout the month of December and hope to contribute, at their level, to ensuring that the magic of end-of-year celebrations remains intact.
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