The term has fallen into disuse, but that's what it's all about: Îlotiers (an old-fashioned term referring to community officers in Paris) are making a comeback in the French capital. In line with its "quarter-hour" policy, which calls for all public services to be accessible to residents within a 15-minute commute, the city of Paris wants to reinforce the "ultra proximity" of its municipal police by identifying at least one dedicated policeman per neighborhood.

"Every day, a Parisian needs to see a policeman," said Nicolas Nordman, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of security, who believes that seeing blue on the street is a "reassuring" factor. From mid-March onward, each of the city's 117 districts will have its own police officer, and in some cases two, for a total of 206 (volunteer) officers, each under the responsibility of the twenty arrondissements mayors. Most of these districts were designed in 2001-2002, and are home to varying numbers of residents – from 4,000 to over 20,000 in the most densely populated areas.

These agents, who will only patrol on foot or by bike, will be identified by a simple badge and can be contacted via an online form on the city hall website. There is no question, at this point, of providing a direct line; they will contact callers themselves to arrange to meet them. They will also be present at neighborhood councils, which meet three or four times a year, and will eventually become the preferred contacts for shopkeepers and residents' associations. For its part, Paris's city hall hopes to benefit from more accurate and frequent feedback.

You have 63.9% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.