The prefect of police of Paris Didier Lallement affirmed that he would leave his functions Thursday July 21 with “the pride of accomplishment”, in a letter addressed to the agents of the Paris Prefecture of Police. Laurent Nunez, national coordinator of intelligence and the fight against terrorism, was appointed Wednesday, July 20 by the Council of Ministers to succeed him.
“I’m leaving with the pride of a job well done, but I’m still hurt by the failure of the Stade de France. Certainly, that evening, we saved lives, but the reputation of the country was damaged. That the tricolor flag has been soiled is for me a pain and a responsibility that I must assume.writes Mr. Lallement in his letter, which Agence France-Presse (AFP) has read.
The departure of Mr. Lallement, in office since March 2019, is not linked to the Stade de France fiasco during the Champions League final at the end of May. Several weeks earlier, the prefect had announced to his troops that he would leave the Paris police headquarters this summer, no later than August 27, the date of his sixty-sixth birthday.
In his letter, he says he has “asked for an end to [ses] functions »above all because he believes he has “reaches an age that is not compatible with high-intensity operational duties”. “I want to be lucid: you don’t order women and men when you are old enough to be a grandfather”he wrote.
Donation of his cap to the Museum of the prefecture
On Twitter, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, made “homage” to Mr. Lallement “for his action, in difficult conditions, in a context of significant terrorist threat, at the head of the Prefecture of Police over the past three years. He brought honor to the Republic”he assured.
I would like to pay tribute to Didier Lallement for his action, in difficult conditions, in a context of… https://t.co/eTfkkFKqoL
“I had only one attitude for almost three and a half years: to walk in front, not to hide in an office and to be with you as much as possible. Walking ahead got me and still gets me hits, but it’s that much that didn’t hit you.”emphasizes Mr. Lallement.
“For three years, we had a real leader who embodied his duties as Paris police prefect in the spirit and strength of this institution”commented to AFP a senior official of the Paris police headquarters, who insisted on “his clear and far-sighted vision” and wanted to recall that he had been appointed in the difficult context of the “yellow vests” crisis.
This senior official from the Paris Police Prefecture also mentioned the “trials”, in particular the attack in October 2019 perpetrated within the prefecture itself by one of the civil servants who worked there. Four people were then killed.
By way of goodbye, Didier Lallement, who has always enjoyed being hated, said “donation of his uniform cap to the Museum of the Prefecture of Police”. The body announced it by posting on its account Twitter a photo of the prefect, smiling, and the cap he wore with pride.