During the Olympic Games, which took place in France in July and August this year, an international team of police officers provided security. There was also an officer from the Rhine district of Neuss: police inspector Soufian Touba, 30 years old. He is normally part of the team at Meerbusch police station. This summer, however, he was in the French port city of Marseille for two weeks to accompany the sailing, kitesurfing, windsurfing and soccer competitions there as part of a team of international police officers and to ensure the safety of the fans.
In the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games, the French Ministry of the Interior had requested support from the police authorities of the participating countries. The police officer from Meerbusch volunteered for this assignment. "Before I was appointed police commissioner, I competed in Olympic boxing," says Touba, explaining his motivation. He had also been on vacation in Marseille before. At the beginning of April, he was then invited to an interview at the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia. There, the Meerbusch police officer was also made aware of the dangers of working at such a major international event. Nevertheless, the police officer from the Rhine district of Neuss decided to take on this project and traveled to Marseille on 23 July.
The port city and second largest city in France has a high crime rate, and the scenario of an attack or other assault is always part of the planning for major international events. For this reason, the venues for the games were secured with an increased international police presence and military.
As part of this security concept, the police officer from Meerbusch was on site together with officers from the Spanish Guardia Civil, US officers from the Los Angeles Police Department, members of the Romanian police force, state police officers from Bavaria and police officers from North Rhine-Westphalia. Catering was provided by the French Ministry of the Interior. In addition to the work around the sports facilities, the police officers on secondment also had the opportunity to get to know the offices of their French colleagues and take a look at their day-to-day work.
The missions themselves took place in the marina and the historic Vieux-Port marina as well as in the adjacent residential areas, and also in and around the Vélodrome soccer stadium, where the French first division soccer club Olympique Marseille usually plays. Soufian Touba was usually part of a group of five, each consisting of three French and two German officers.
The main task of these multilingual teams was to be the point of contact for the fans and tourists who had arrived. The police officers were available for friendly chats and souvenir photos, but also followed up on information about possible criminal offenses. "Especially in the evening hours, our presence also increased the sense of security among residents and visitors," reports the police commissioner. During the soccer matches, a mobile police station was also set up at the Stade Vélodrom and manned by police officers, which served as a contact point for fans to get in touch with the security forces. Crimes could also be reported and reported directly on site. "There was a massive police presence around the stadium due to the potential threat of terrorism, and we were also supported by the military," said Touba. But the opportunity to talk to the fans also contributed to the positive atmosphere. In addition, the officers were allowed into the stadium shortly before kick-off to watch the matches from a secure area and at the same time be ready to intervene if necessary.
After returning home, Soufian Touba draws a positive conclusion of his time in France. He describes the weeks he spent in Marseille as a "varied and challenging experience". He was particularly impressed by the insights into the organization of such a major event and the international cooperation. He will also remember the peaceful, friendly atmosphere of the sports fans, not only among themselves but also towards the police officers deployed. "One of my personal highlights was the contact with the many German fans and tourists, who were very positive towards us," says the police commissioner, who is now back on the streets of Meerbusch ensuring the safety of the citizens.