Paris 2024 Olympics: MEPs warn of ‘worrying capacity deficit’ for private security

“an alarming shortage”. “Measures are taken late”… Although the ability of the organizers of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games (JOP) – and the state government – to mobilize enough private security agents for the future competition venues has been called into question for several months now, MPs are drawing . Alarm signal again.

“Eighteen months before the Games, the private security sector faces worrying capacity shortages”, insists the Committee on Culture and Education in its report for an opinion on the draft law “On the Olympic and Paralympic Games and containing various provisions”, which was published on Friday 17 March. Deputies will consider this draft law on Monday, March 20 at a public session.

The Organizing Committee of the Paris Olympic Games (Cojop) does not “To date, only 4,500 have been preserved [agents] According to Etienne Toboy », Its general director, says the culture and education committee and recalls that “According to the Court of Auditors, Cojop will need 22,000 to 33,000 private security agents”. Mr. Thoboy’s deputies held an audience, and the results of the tender for private security companies were not yet fully known.

The government, which for its part believes that 22,000 agents will need to be mobilized daily for the duration of the event, has nevertheless been leveraging various levers to achieve this figure for several months. But for the members of the culture and education committee “Measures aimed at raising the attractiveness of the profession It turned out to be too late for the industry to provide the staff it needed during the games.” Under pressure from the government, defense companies in particular have increased their salaries for the first time^Eh January by 7.5%, after 2022 + 3.5%.

“All scenarios are on the table”

During his hearing by deputies 1^Eh In March, Amélie Oudea-Castera, Minister of Sports and Olympics, detailed the various actions taken to boost or support the necessary recruitment: encouraging people who have the right to use the profession but are no longer in it; Implementing a simplified event safety title aimed at job seekers and students, training has been reduced to 106 hours instead of the usual 175 hours.

When asked over the past week, Cojop management was reluctant to discuss the matter, implying communication in the coming days. He promised a few weeks ago “Maximum visibility for the first semester”.

The organizers did not hide it “All scenarios are on the table”. Translation: If private security cannot provide sufficient manpower, it may be necessary to call in the army.

“If there’s a certain amount of people missing at the bottom end, we’ll see what we can do.”On January 24, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin responded to centrist Senator Laurent Lafon, who asked him. “When there will be a scenario of appealing to the army[it] officially announced » To fill the shortage of private security guards.