The Air Transport Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie des Transports Aériens) (GTA) is a branch of the

French Gendarmerie The National Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie nationale, ) is one of two national law enforcement forces of France, along with the National Police. The Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the jurisdiction of the Mini ...

placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the Directorate General for Civil Aviation of the Transportation Ministry. It has a strength of about 1,100 and is commanded by a senior officer or by a

general officer A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

. Its missions are centered on

airport security Airport security includes the techniques and methods used in an attempt to protect passengers, staff, aircraft, and airport property from malicious harm, crime, terrorism, and other threats. Aviation security is a combination of measures and hum ...

. It also carries out judicial inquiries pertaining to civilian aviation accidents. The GTA was created in 1953 out of existing airport gendarmerie specialist units created from 1946. The Air Transport Gendarmerie should not be confused with the smaller

Air Gendarmerie The Air Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie de l'Air) is the unit of the French Gendarmerie protecting the Air bases of the French Air and Space Force and investigating aviation accidents and incidents when a military aircraft is involved, whether i ...

, which provides policing for the

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Ar ...

Air Transport Gendarmerie Bastille Day 2013 Paris t110547

Missions

The GTA's diverse missions include: * police and security in civilian airfields and airports * counter-terrorism * counter-narcotic activities * freight surveillance * surveillance of technical installations of the airports (control towers etc.) * traffic control on the roads within the airports * protection of important visitors stopping for a layover * judicial inquiries pertaining to accidents of civilian aircraft Personnel of the GTA cover a wide range of specialities, including security patrols, freight inspectors, counter-snipers, aviators, dog handlers, auditors, and health inspectors. All personnel follow an initial aviation-related course called . Most personnel receive more specialised training at the .

Units

The GTA headquarters are in Paris. The GTA is divided into two metropolitan groupings and the overseas units. The metropolitan groupings are divided into companies, and both also maintain a . The different companies cover more airports than just the airport in their name. For example the Paris-Orly Company also covers Issy-les-Moulineaux, Beauvais-Tillé, Lille-Lesquin, Toussus-le-Noble & CRNA Nord Athis-Mons, the Strasbourg Company also covers Bâle-Mulhouse, Metz-Nancy-Lorraine et CRNA Est Reims, and the Bordeaux Company also covers Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne and Pau.

Northern Grouping

The Northern Grouping () is headquartered at

Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (french: Aéroport de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle, ), also known as Roissy Airport or simply Paris CDG, is the principal airport serving the French capital, Paris ( and its metropolitan area), and the largest intern ...

. It contains the Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle company, the Paris-Orly Company, the Brest Company, and the Strasbourg Company.

Southern Grouping

The Southern Grouping () is headquartered in

Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Ais de Provença in classical norm, or in Mistralian norm, ; la, Aquae Sextiae), or simply Aix ( medieval Occitan: ''Aics''), is a city and commune in southern France, about north of Marseille ...

. It contains the Lyons Company, the Bordeaux Company, the Marseilles Company, the Nice Company, and the Toulouse Company.

Overseas Air Transport Gendarmerie

Seven small brigades (typically of ten to twelve gendarmes each) cover overseas installations. Together these are known as the "Overseas Air Transport Gendarmerie" (): *Brigade de

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-Félix Éboué ( Guyane) *Brigade de Nouméa-La Tontouta (

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) *Brigade du Lamentin (

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label= Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...

) *Brigade de

Guadeloupe Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label= Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands— Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and ...

*Brigade de Saint-Denis (

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) *Brigade de

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ...

-Faaa (

Polynésie française )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of French ...

) *Brigade de Aéroport de Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi (

Mayotte Mayotte (; french: Mayotte, ; Shimaore: ''Maore'', ; Kibushi: ''Maori'', ), officially the Department of Mayotte (french: Département de Mayotte), is an overseas department and region and single territorial collectivity of France. It is loca ...

)

References

{{Law enforcement agencies of France French Gendarmerie Airport law enforcement agencies