Ile-de-France Mobilités: Municipal Police Now Welcome

Security in the public transportation of Île-de-France: Île-de-France Mobilités extends free access to municipal police officers across the network.

In response to a growing demand for safety in public transportation, Île-de-France Mobilités is accelerating its efforts. The mobility organizing authority has just signed, in partnership with the RATP and the City of Paris, an agreement allowing Parisian municipal police officers to access buses and trams operating in the capital free of charge. Yes, you read that right…

This decision, requested as early as summer 2024 by Valérie Pécresse, President of Île-de-France Mobilités, ahead of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, is part of an ambitious strategy to strengthen the ” security continuum “. This approach is based on enhanced collaboration between national police forces, security agents of operators (notably those of GPSR of RATP), private security services, and now municipal police.

A tangible increase in power on the ground

Since 2024, ten Île-de-France municipalities have signed tripartite agreements with Île-de-France Mobilités and their transport operators: Paris, L’Haÿ-les-Roses, Antony, Châtillon, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Rungis, Les Pavillons-sous-Bois, Palaiseau, Sannois, Montereau-Fault-Yonne, and Bourg-la-Reine. These partnerships enable in-service municipal police officers in uniform to move freely within transport systems to perform patrols and joint operations.

Their missions? Fight against misbehavior, prevent acts of delinquency, intervene in cases of sexist and sexual offenses, and secure passenger journeys. They can also observe violations of public transport regulations, which enhances the effectiveness of prevention and enforcement actions.

Results that speak for themselves?

Since 2016, over 1,500 security agents have been deployed across Île-de-France networks, in partnership with operators. Joint efforts are believed to have contributed to a 25% reduction in assaults against travelers between 2016 and 2023. The number of GPSR agents of RATP has also increased to over 1,000 active members, a continuously growing figure.

Each year, more than 90,000 security interventions are carried out in Île-de-France public transportation. This number is expected to grow with increased participation from municipal police forces.

According to a 2023 Harris Interactive survey, 61% of Île-de-France residents feel unsafe in public transport, with the feeling being even more pronounced among women and users traveling during off-peak hours.

A measure embedded in the law

The Savary law of March 22, 2016, provided a clear legal framework for the intervention of municipal police officers in transportation. They are now fully authorized to identify violations related to transport policing and can intervene on equal footing with other security forces.

The free access of municipal police officers to the Île-de-France transport network is certainly a strong signal sent to users, but it also raises questions in 2025: why did it take so long?