Gendarmerie Nationale (France)

National Gendarmerie Gendarmerie nationale
Active	1791
Country	France
Type	Gendarmerie (Military provost), Government agency
Role	Law enforcement
Size	c. 100,000 members (2014) 25,000 reserve
Garrison/HQ	Paris
Other informations	Annual budget: €7.7 billion Size area: 674,843 km² Population: 67 million
Website	gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr
Commanders
Directeur-Général	Général d'Armée Richard Lizurey

The National Gendarmerie (French: Gendarmerie nationale [ʒɑ̃daʁməʁi nasjɔnal]) is one of two national police forces of France. It is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior - with additional duties to the Ministry of Defense. Its area of responsibility includes smaller towns and rural areas, while the Police Nationale - a civilian force - is in charge of cities and large towns. Due to its military status, the Gendarmerie also fulfills a range of military and defense missions. The Gendarmes also have a cybercrime division. It has a strength of more than 100,000 personnel as of 2014.

The Gendarmerie is heir to the Maréchaussée (Marshalcy - see below), the oldest police force in France, dating back to the Middle Ages. It has influenced the culture and traditions of gendarmerie forces all around the world - and especially in the former French colonial empire.

The Gendarmerie is the direct descendant of the Marshalcy of the ancien regime, more commonly known by its French title, the Maréchaussée.

During the Middle Ages, there were two Grand Officers of the Kingdom of France with police responsibilities: The Marshal of France and the Constable of France. The military policing responsibilities of the Marshal of France were delegated to the Marshal's provost, whose force was known as the Marshalcy because its authority ultimately derived from the Marshal. The marshalcy dates back to the Hundred Years War, and some historians trace it back to the early twelfth century.

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Wikipedia