Eric Arella, boss of PJ of Marseille, dismissed from his duties day after a demonstration of

In post in Marseille since 2015, he was removed from his duties by the Directorate General of the National Police, the day after a police demonstration against the PJ reform wanted by the government.

Le Monde with AFP

End of mission for the boss of the judicial police (PJ) of the southern zone. Eric Arella was removed from his duties on Friday October 7, the General Directorate of the National Police (DGPN) told the Agency France-Presse (AFP). A decision taken in the aftermath of a demonstration in Marseille against the PJ reform. Mr. Arella, who will go to the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) from Monday, is replaced by Dominique Abbenanti, currently security attaché in Algiers.

“It’s a shame, he is made to wear the hat. He has always been loyal. And they are almost all of the officials who are against this reform,” said the government, told AFP A source from the PJ in Marseille. Eric Arella notably piloted surveys on the Narcobanditism of Perpignan in Nice, via Marseille, one of the cities most affected by this scourge.

strong opposition against the PJ’s reform

“We blame him for the officers yesterday,” said another local police source, evoking a “very respected” man. Dozens of police officers gathered spontaneously at the foot of the police hotel on Friday, noted an AFP journalist.

Thursday, some 200 PJ officers had demonstrated before the Bishopric, the police hotel in Marseille, on the occasion of the arrival of the director general of the National Police (DGPN), Frédéric Veaux. When he left Reunion, he crossed the corridors in an icy atmosphere, forced to split a hedge of crossed and silent arm demonstrators.

#Big Colandre #Policejudiciale #Marseille spectacular mobilization of investigators and investigators of the PJ Marseii… https://t.co/ksshdzxlgb

– thprouteau (@thomas prouteau)

The PJ’s reform arouses enormous reluctance within the institution but also on the side of justice. Carried by the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin and Frédéric Veaux, the project plans to place all the police services of a department (intelligence, public security, border police (PAF) and judicial police (PJ)) under the Authority of a single departmental director of the national police (DDPN), dependent on the prefect.

/Media reports.