SIR – The visit by the French lady judge is interesting (T&A, March 15) as our systems of justice and policing are different in many aspects, with France’s ‘Code Napoleon’ still playing a big part in their criminal, civil and family laws.
French Police come in three types – Gendarmerie Nationale, Police Municipale and the Parliamentary CRS, all of whom command a combination of respect, fear and sometimes hostility.
I unwittingly found this out as the corporate clothing for my small transport business was almost in the same style and shade of dark blue, eliciting a few black looks.
On a more humorous occasion, while once on a cross channel ferry, I overheard someone say: “That’s the Bosun, you can tell by his uniform.”
Although that’s nothing when compared to the experiences in my last new commercial vehicle before retiring, whose Ford dark blue livery was identical to the Gendarmerie, and I have seen the look of horror on French faces at motels or garages when you jump out until they realise you are only a transport driver looking for a meal, a room or diesel.
However, the most important difference, as the French judge noticed, was that our police go unarmed – unthinkable anywhere in Europe where both police and customs officers routinely carry guns.
Maybe if ours did, WPC Beshenivsky might be alive today.
D S Boyes, Rodley Lane, Leeds
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