Inspection générale de la Police nationale
IGPN
Summary
The IGPN is the internal general inspectorate for the French National Police, established by Décret n° 2013-784 of 28 August 2013, which merged the former IGPN and the Inspection générale des services (IGS) of the Préfecture de police into a single national body. Its director is a senior active police officer appointed by the Minister of the Interior at will. The IGPN conducts administrative and judicial investigations into all personnel of the DGPN and Préfecture de police; its investigators have free access to all police premises, files, and records. On judicial matters it acts on requisitions from the judicial authority, enabling it to co-investigate use-of-force incidents alongside prosecutors. Disciplinary findings are referred to the competent authority; the IGPN cannot impose sanctions directly. All investigators are sworn police officers; no civilian-composition requirement exists.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | Not specified |
| Removal standard | At will (weak protection) |
| Budget independence | Executive discretion |
| Subpoena power | No |
| Compel testimony | No |
| Records access | Full access |
| Public reports required | Yes |
| Pre-publication review | Executive review |
Statute
- Name
- Décret n° 2013-784 du 28 août 2013 relatif aux missions et à l'organisation de l'inspection générale de la police nationale
- Citation
- Décret n° 2013-784 du 28 août 2013 (JORF du 30 août 2013), as amended by Décret n° 2016-780
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
All directorates and services of the Direction générale de la Police nationale (DGPN) and the Préfecture de police de Paris; conducts administrative and judicial investigations into police conduct, monitors compliance with deontological rules, and oversees internal-control mechanisms