The appointment of a personality from the judicial world to lead the «police of the police» comes as this institution is the subject of criticism, accused in particular of lacking independence in cases of police violence.
Considered to be close to the current power, Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre occupied for two years the post of justice adviser to the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin then, for six months, that of deputy chief of staff.
Like her predecessors, she will be appointed by the Minister of the Interior and the IGPN will remain attached to the General Directorate of the National Police (DGPN). A statutory dependence often denounced by observers.
The idea of appointing an independent personality to head the IGPN was raised in November 2020 by Mr. Darmanin when the reform of the institution was back in the debate after a series of cases of police violence, including the violent arrest of Michel Zecler in Paris.
Before joining the cabinet of Gérald Darmanin, Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre was for several years the communication officer of the former Paris prosecutor François Molins, in particular at the time of the attacks of 2015.
She was also briefly spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice between 2019 and 2020.
Ms. Thibault Lecuivre will succeed Commissioner Brigitte Jullien, appointed in 2019, who was notably confronted with numerous cases of police violence during the demonstrations of «yellow vests».
“I do not think that the appointment of a magistrate is welcomed in our ranks and is a good thing!”, reacted to AFP Frédéric Lagache, general delegate of the Alliance union. «Our colleagues already feared the IGPN headed by a policeman, then a magistrate, they will fear the worst».
«I hope that his appointment will make it possible to avoid the false partial trials made to the IGPN», for his part declared Grégory Joron, of the Unity-SGP union. «For the police, I don’t think it changes much,» he continued, «the IGPN was already not giving gifts and was not covering up the actions of the police.»