LOC22:30
19:30 GMT
PARIS, Oct 19 (KUNA) -- French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Wednesday that he would deploy additional police forces to troublesome areas, mainly around Paris, where hooligans have recently attacked and seriously wounded officers.
He also said he would push for swift and harsh justice for criminal acts against police officers, who have taken to the streets in Paris and Marseille in recent days to protest attacks in recent weeks.
"The government is totally determined to get justice done" in such cases, Cazeneuve said in a press statement after meeting with Police Union representatives.
Cazeneuve said that he was contacting French Prefects who are in charge of administering the different districts around the country to tell them to take swift action in anti-police incidents.
Appropriate action will be taken against people "who attack you for who you are or what you represent," he said.
The Interior Minister said that he would be immediately deploying 75 additional officers to two problem areas near Paris and he also announced a recruiting drive that would bolster the number of police by just below 5,000 during 2017, and he promised additional security agents to help police with their duties. There are close to 145,000 police officers serving currently in France.
But Cazeneuve, who has criticised police for taking to the streets to protest, also reminded the police force of its duties with respect to the Constitution, a warning that further protests might lead to sanctions.
He also warned police about getting drawn into the political arena at a time when France is heading into a presidential election period up until May 2017.
The Police Unions have called for a nationwide, silent protest on October 29. (pickup previous)
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