French and Surinamese police

To resume joint patrols in December

Surinamese police officers and their French colleagues will reportedly resume the joint patrols on both sides of the border in the first week of December. Police Inspector Harold Nagelbloem, regional police chief at Albina, told Times of Suriname that the foot surveillance commenced on October 7.

He explained that the objective is for the joint patrols to take place twice a month. The first foot surveillance that took place in October has already been evaluated. The French police praised their Surinamese colleagues. The citizens from the Surinamese side of the border responded positively to the foot surveillance which is aimed at tackling crime at a distance of 2 kilometers inland. Nagelbloem pointed out that officials also want to launch river patrols on the Marowijne River to find out what people are ferrying across the river. The joint patrols will be aimed at preventing human trafficking, the smuggling of contraband and drug trafficking. The police inspector made it clear that boats are not allowed to sail on the river after 8 pm. Nagelbloem explained that the French police do not take action on Surinamese territory in case something happens but that they are only here to observe and to point out suspects who are wanted in French Guyana and who are strolling through and living in Albina. The police officers who are part of the joint patrol on the French side of the border can also point out Surinamese suspects who are wanted in Suriname but are moving freely in French Guyana. These suspects will be arrested at once after they have been spotted. Suriname and France have a treaty on police collaboration on both sides of the border.