Garde champêtre

Their job is to report to the local mayor. Many of these officers carry firearms (they commonly face poachers, many of whom are themselves armed) and other weapons. Mayors decide which weapons to provide them with, but {{lang|fr|gardes champêtres}} can purchase, retain and carry a much wider range of weapons than the urban police {{lang|fr|(police municipale)}} are allowed. They are not under the supervision of the Gendarmerie but under the mayor's, their employer.

From 1791 to 1958 it was compulsory for each rural commune to employ a {{lang|fr|garde champêtre}}. Since then many formerly rural communes are heavily or totally urbanised and the number in post has been shrinking every year. A draft law in 2014,{{cite web|url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichLoiPreparation.do;jsessionid=727BB060B2116F04650F4E7247A65511.tpdjo09v_2?idDocument=JORFDOLE000029098353&type=general&typeLoi=prop&legislature=14 |title=Dossiers législatifs - Proposition de loi visant à créer des polices territoriales et portant dispositions diverses relatives à leur organisation et leur fonctionnement |language=fr |trans-title=Legislative files - Proposal for a law aimed at creating territorial police forces and laying down various provisions relating to their organization and operation |website=Legifrance |date= |access-date=2016-03-15}} provided for the integration of the remaining {{lang|fr|gardes champêtres}} with the {{lang|fr|police municipale}} and the highway control officers ({{lang|fr|agents de surveillance de la voie publique}}) into a new {{lang|fr|police territoriale}}.

File:Pucelle métallique.pngFile:Ecusson garde champetre territorial.jpg

Their uniforms are not regulated and are at the mayor's discretion; they are traditionally green. The only compulsory element of their dress is a metal badge or cloth patch bearing the words: "LA LOI" (the law), the name of the commune and that of the {{lang|fr|garde champêtre}}.{{cite web |url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=2AF5BC1E2DD5600D61335543BB150989.tpdjo07v_2?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000025503132&idArticle=LEGIARTI000028286220&dateTexte=20140223&categorieLien=cid#LEGIARTI000028286220 |title=Code de la sécurité intérieure - Article R522-1 |language=fr |trans-title=Internal Security Code - Article R522-1 |website=Legifrance |date= |access-date=2016-03-15}} They cannot legally wear the dress attributed to the {{lang|fr|police municipale}} (navy blue with a light blue trimming).

{{-}}

• Council ranger

{{Reflist}}

• [http://perso.wanadoo.fr/fngc/ Website of the federation of French gardes champêtres] {{in lang|fr}}

{{Commons category|Garde-Champêtre}}

{{Law enforcement agencies of France}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garde champetre}}

Category:Law enforcement agencies of France

{{Europe-law-stub}}