Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion (French) | |
---|---|
Active | 1985–present |
Country | France |
Branch | French National Police |
Type | Law enforcement |
Role | Domestic anti-Terrorism and Law Enforcement |
Size | c. 320 |
Garrison/HQ | Bièvres, Essonne |
Nickname(s) | RAID |
Motto(s) | Servir sans faillir (To serve without failing) |
Mascot(s) | Panther |
Engagements |
Neuilly hostage crisis Anti-Action Directe arrests Anti-GIA operations 2005 Paris Riots 2012 Midi-Pyrénées shootings 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting November 2015 Paris attacks |
Commanders | |
Current commander |
Jean-Michel Fauvergue |
Notable commanders |
Ange Mancini, Christian Lambert, Amaury de Hauteclocque |
Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion ("Search, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence"), commonly abbreviated RAID (/reɪd/; French: [ʁɛd]) is an elite law enforcement unit of the French National Police. RAID is headquartered in Bièvres, Essonne, approximately 20 km (12 miles) southwest of Paris.
Created in 1985, RAID is the National Police counterpart of the National Gendarmerie's GIGN. Both units share responsibility for the French territory.
Since 2009, RAID and the Paris Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI), a separate National Police unit reporting directly into the Paris Police Prefecture (French: Préfecture de police de Paris), have formed a task force called "National Police Intervention Force" (French: Force d'intervention de la Police nationale) or FIPN. When activated, the task force is headed by the RAID commander.
In early 2015, the seven regional units of the National Police, previously known as National Police Intervention Groups (GIPNs), were permanently integrated into RAID and redesignated "RAID branches" (French: antennes RAID).
Among the main missions of RAID are:
RAID reports to the Director general of the National Police (DGPN), himself a direct report of the Minister of the Interior.
Before RAIDs creation, the National Police didn't have a national unit comparable to the Gendarmerie's GIGN and relied instead on regional units : BRI in Paris and the GIPNs in the provinces.