Key Facts
| Current Title: |
| Police Nationale |
| English Title: |
| French National Police |
| Abbreviation: |
| PN |
| First Established: |
| 2006 |
| ICAO Code: |
| (None) |
| Country: |
| France |
| Status: |
| Disbanded |
History
Narrative Summary
The civilian French National Police Force is known as the Police Nationale. Air support is normally provided by the Securite Civile or Gendarmerie. In 2006 a helicopter was borrowed from the Securite Civile, and a Cessna aircraft obtained on lease, to evaluate the usefulness of direct air support. The evaluation was carried out by the Police aux Frontières (PAF, Border Police) directorate of the Police Nationale. Both the aircraft and helicopter were later returned.
Key Dates
| 9 July 1966 | Police Nationale formed from Sûreté Nationale | |
| 12 July 2006 | First helicopter received – AS.350B | |
| ? 2006 | First fixed-wing aircraft delivered – Cessna Caravan | |
| mid 2008 | Helicopter returned to previous owner |
Current Status
The Police Nationale no longer use any aircraft.
Future Plans
No plan known.
Markings
Special Markings
PN aircraft operated in civil markings with no national insignia. Additionally, the title POLICE was also carried on the fuselage sides.
Aircraft Serial Numbers
French Police helicopters and aircraft carried civil registrations in the sequence assigned to the Securite Civile, eg: AS.350 F-ZBEA.
Unit/Base Codes
Coding system not used
Aircraft
Aircraft Designations
None – Manufacturers designations used
Current Aircraft Inventory
Not applicable.
All-Time Aircraft Used List
| Aircraft Type | Quantity | Service Entry | Out of Service | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospatiale AS.350B Ecureuil | 1 | July 2006 | 2008 | Securite Civile |
| Cessna F406 Caravan II | 1 | 2006 | 2007 | leased |
Aircraft NOT Used
False reports of aircraft on order or in service: None known.
Organisation
Main Headquarters
Direction Générale de la Police Nationale, Place Beauvau, 75008 Paris, France.
Organisational Structure
A bureau de la police aéronautique (Office of Police Aviation) oversaw the evaluation within the PAF of the Police Nationale.
Current Unit Assignments
Not applicable
Historical Unit Assignments
Not applicable.
All-Time Flying Units List
Not applicable.
Air Bases
Current Air Bases
Not applicable.
All-Time Air Bases Used List
The helicopter was based at Toussus le Noble for the evaluation.
More Information
Books
French Aviation Bibliography – to be added
Magazines
No feature articles known.
Websites
Official French Police webpage
wikipedia: National Police(France)
airliners.net
Les hélicoptères de la POLICE