[The following article appeared in the June 24 issue of Rouge, weekly newspaper of the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR), the French section of the Fourth International. The translation is by Intercontinental Press.]
A congress of the Autonomous Federation of Police Unions (FASP) always reveals quite a lot about the changes taking place within the police.
The FASP, which was founded in the late 1960s and calls for united, democratic, and progressive trade-unionism that fights for a police force at the service of the public," is itself the product of the crisis in the repressive apparatus:
At the FASP's congress in Rouen just after the victory of the left [in the 1981 presidential and legislative elections], the leaders of the organization put forward the slogan a new police force, new men," demanding the ouster of "key figures" linked to the policies of the previous regime.
At its Strasbourg convention held this June 14 to 17, the tone had completely changed.
In his introductory report, FASP general secretary Bernard Deleplace muffled his attacks on the police hierarchy. Following that, he called for "all those of good will" to come together and showed a much more conciliatory attitude toward the government than in the past.
Tell-tale sign
This change in focus reflects the present difficulties of police trade-unionism. In the course of two years, the government has shown its inability to carry out the reforms that the great bulk of rank-and-file cops hoped for. With the rise in petty crime, the official tone has steadily adapted to the demands of the reactionary sectors. As a result, the right wing has been able to retake the initiative in the police administration, in which it has traditionally had a strong influence. By contrast, the groupings committed to basic freedoms have been thrown off-balance.
Deleplace dealt with this situation at length. "When some of us get discouraged and no longer stand our ground," he said. "the extremist unions can successfully draw certain sectors of the police into seditious actions and,
L The FASP has 70,000 members in five sections, including patrolmen, members of the CRS (riot squads), officers, as well as administrative personnel. In the last police representation elections, the FASP got 58 percent of the vote.
FASP General Secretary Bernard Deleplace especially, can draw them into sharing particularly dangerous doctrines about the role of the police.
"Demagogy pays off," Deleplace continued, "when education in trade-unionism has been insufficient to inspire rationalism. Demagogy pays off when the government is divided on the remedies needed to resolve the fear of crime."
Such a tendency could not help but have an impact in a federation that is extremely heterogeneous because it encompasses the majority of police. For example, the general secretary made a self-criticism of the terms he had used in condemning the "wild ass" cop action on Rossini Street in September 1982:2 "The method I used certainly was not the best in regard to questions that touched on all the units."
By moderating their language, the FASP leaders undoubtedly hope to strengthen the cohesion of their organization. But they also want to take advantage of a situation where the rightist unions have been thrown on the defensive by the government's reaction following the rebellious police demonstrations of June 3.* This explains the emphasis placed on the existence of "two conceptions of trade-unionism, one authentic and based on majorityrule, the other warped and minority-based."
By adopting a new profile, the FASP apparently hopes to become the linch pin of a united front of "republican police" (the term "republican" was used constantly at the Strasbourg congress). The first manifestation of this united front would be the proclaimed rapprochement with certain organizations like the Union of Plainclothes Police (SNAPC).
Objectives upheld
Clearly the FASP has taken a backward step that could have negative future consequences. Nonetheless, it is maintaining its course on a series of fundamental objectives. For example, it wants to take advantage of the "electric shock treatment" caused by the growing boldness of the reactionaries in the police in order to force through a basic democratic reform. And Bernard Deleplace clearly warned the government: "If the long-awaited reforms are not rapidly put into effect, this would be a new betrayal and the organization I lead would again take action to press its demands."
The union representing the majority in the police force summarized the aim of the changes it wants by using the formula "a more humane and effective police force."
More humane, meaning closer to the population. "Our federation," Deleplace indicated, "has taken up the fight for defense of the rights of man."
Denouncing the way the theme of fear of crime is being exploited — "the fears do not always have any relationship to the facts themselves" — the general secretary made this appeal to the members of his union:
"If public opinion is unanimous in recognizing that overall the national police's activity is positive, it is equally unanimous in protesting against the excess committed by certain elements. That is why we must be conscious of the important work we must take up. - so that within the profession, in our units, in our organizations, we do not let up on the indispensible effort (which must be maintained and sustained) against all the racist and anti-foreigner campaigns, which unfortunately do not stop at the stationhouse doors."
Similarly, the FASP reaffirmed its desire to link itself to the social movement, to the population. "We are not embarrassed," said Deleplace, "by our traditions and origins. We remain firmly attached in the closest way to the workers movement.**
nized with the demonstrators and allowed the march to go through police lines to the ministry of interior and the presidential palace. In the aftermath of the demonstration, the government took disciplinary measures against some cops, including leaders of police associations. - IP
4. It should be noted that the FASP signed the call for the reunification of the trade-union movement launched by the National Teachers Federation (FEN). the United Tax Collectors Union, the foodworkers federation, and the National Union of Journalists.
Making this more concrete, Deleplace concluded his report from the chair with these words: "The police need the populace. The reform we want will not come about... if the citizens of this country do not understand that the improvement of our profession, of our working conditions, of our everyday life, is also their business."
On the basis of this orientation, the FASP leadership leaves the Eighth Congress in a stronger position. The report from the chair was approved by the 250 delegates and the general secretary was reelected by a nearly unanimous vote. But the coming months will be decisive and will put the new line of the unionized police to the test.
move in that direction would require immediate radical measures, which could not be carried out in a half-baked manner without allowing the right wing to act as it pleases. It is necessary to throw out the men involved in the destabilization attempts and who served the previous governments; dismiss the perpetrators of racist attacks and participants in "wild ass" actions; disarm the •specialized crowd suppression units; dismantle the political spying services, etc.
Notes
2. On September 9, 1982 police deliberately opened fire on an automobile. killing one of its passengers. - IP
3. On June 3, several thousand cops in Paris staged a rightist demonstration following the funeral of two police officers who had been killed May 31 in the course of an auto theft. During the demonstration, police units assigned to crowd control openly frater-