French officer ‘off sick’ for 14 years while pretending to crack down on people smugglers

An internal report from the riot police unit CRS 4 in France has exposed one of its commanders Luc-Noël Larcher who has been conspicuously absent from his duties for a staggering 14 years.

The damning report, conducted by the Central Directorate of the CRS (DCCRS) and obtained by French daily Le Parisien, reveals that Larcher has been enjoying a life of leisure, including daily golf sessions and swimming, while his second-in-command handled the responsibilities meant to prevent migrants from crossing the Channel.

CRS 4, a mobile police unit often deployed to the northern French coast to tackle migrants attempting to reach the UK, found Larcher rarely showing up at the office or participating in missions to Calais.

Instead, he allegedly had his staff deliver mail to his house and communicated through sporadic text messages from his deputy.

The report details Larcher's routine, stating that he "spends his mornings in his room, starts the day at noon, possibly carries out some administrative tasks, then devotes almost all of his afternoons to playing golf or swimming in the pool".

This pattern reportedly continued throughout the week, with Larcher staying in separate accommodations from his colleagues when he did make rare appearances in Calais.

Notably, the investigation discovered that Larcher accumulated 45,651 kilometres in a police vehicle over a year for allegedly private trips, costing €7,774. He also reportedly used police-provided meals for his son's engagement party and claimed "temporary absence" bonuses for missions he did not participate in, registering for fictitious overtime and 52 unwarranted "rest days".

The report further reveals that the UK-funded mobile unit meant to patrol French beaches consisted only of a gendarme squadron in the Calais area, as confirmed by the Nord-Hauts de France prefecture.

A preliminary investigation into suspected abuse of public funds and violation of professional secrets has been launched by the prosecutor of Meaux, Jean-Baptiste Bladier. The case has been handed over to the police's internal investigation unit, IGPN.

Larcher's lawyer, Jean-Christophe Yaèche, said that his client has been on sick leave for several weeks and refrained from commenting due to his lack of knowledge about the details and the obligation to maintain reserve. Allegations of burnout and claims of harassment from his deputy have been raised by Larcher's entourage, while the second-in-command, Sylvain Le Bourbasquet, is yet to publicly respond to the accusations.