The **French police system** is a complex, multi-tiered law enforcement structure primarily consisting of the **National Police (Police Nationale)**, the **National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale)**, and municipal police forces. These agencies share the mission of maintaining public order, protecting citizens and property, enforcing laws, and preventing crime, but operate in different jurisdictions and under separate ministries[1][2][3][10]. The **National Police**, established in 1941 during the Vichy regime and officially unified in 1966, is a civilian force under the French Ministry of the Interior. It is primarily responsible for policing urban areas and large towns, with a workforce of approximately 145,000 officers. Its functions include patrolling, traffic control, identity verification, criminal investigations, and judicial police work under magistrate supervision. Specialized units within the National Police handle border control, public security, judicial inquiries, and the protection of high-profile individuals and important government buildings[3][7][9][10]. In contrast, the **Gendarmerie**, a military force under the Ministry of Defense, operates mainly in rural areas, small towns, suburban regions, and certain specialized domains such as military policing, airport security, and maritime policing. It employs about 90,000 personnel and is known for its paramilitary capabilities[1][4][8]. The coexistence of these two forces with overlapping goals but distinct zones has occasionally led to jurisdictional friction, prompting reforms in the early 2000s to better delineate areas of responsibility[1]. Beyond these, about 10,000 municipal police officers work locally under mayoral authority, focusing on crime prevention in cooperation with national forces[2]. Key organizational reforms have aimed at improving coordination and local unification, especially since the 1990s, reflecting a balance between centralization and local autonomy in the French policing system[2]. The National Police’s notable achievements include sophisticated judicial policing and protection service