7 million inhabitants is disproportionate

The theme of security is one of the strengths of the 10eConférence of cities held today in Paris. A little more than two months after the violence that shook the Villeneuve district in Grenoble and full parliamentary debate on the Bill Loppsi 2, the mayors of large cities (AMGVF) continue to call their greeting the holding of a round table of urban security. Gérard Columbus, Mayor of Lyon, observed on its agglomeration more expression in violent crime. "Safe Mayor" claimed, it regretted the decrease in the staff of the National Police on the ground and considers that we "legislate too much" during recent years.

What conclusion do you on Lyon and its agglomeration of insecurity

What strikes us most, a probably lesser elsewhere, it is the violence of the means to which offenders are now using. To find a little money, we did hesitate to pointing the grocer of the corner with automatic weapons. This is quite new. Before, also, the bands settled their accounts to punched or stabbing. Today, it is the Kalashnikov. In certain difficult areas of the agglomeration, like Bron or headquarters Mermoz, a kind of parallel economy, held by gangs of extreme violence, has been organised. With this feature to Lyon gang benefit from proximity to Geneva to break. This banditry has been strengthened by the arrival of mafias that operate at European level. At the same time, youth delinquency is tightened with the use of automatic weapons for a small flight. However, the situation is rather quiet for the rest of Lyon. The number of facts has declined with the development of still more sophisticated protection systems. It remains that violence on public road, it is rising.

How do you explain these changes Mayors do not have a share of responsibility

I will be very strict with the Government. Since the disappearance of community policing, we no longer the same knowledge of the field. Today, if the mayors and municipal policies were not there to compensate for the reduction of the workforce to the RGPP initiated as of 2004, the situation is really very difficult. By declaring this summer was to hold to account the mayors security, Christian Estrosi has shown what the Government meant: make more blame this cities and private agencies. In this area, I think that there is a balance to be struck. Lyon, it is the Prefect who has the police and intelligence. As such, the initiative to work with us or not belong to him. The French must know: the police and security are a prerogative of the State. I am a decentralizer to all horsehair, but on this subject, I do not dispute his sovereign power.

Mayors of left many reluctant to video surveillance. Why

Some consider that video surveillance is infringing on individual freedoms. With many of my counterparts, such as François Rebsamen, I try to get a different message. Video surveillance is not dangerous for human rights if it makes box use. Lyon, we have put in place a Charter of ethics and a Steering Committee consisting of all associations concerned: human rights, traders. This Committee, chaired by an uncontested moral authority - the former Chairman of the administrative Court of appeal - may be seized by any one for infringement of individual liberties and we have publicised it. But we have never received complaint concerning the network of video surveillance that we installed in Lyon, one of the cities probably more equipped. For me, the balance is positive. Deployed on less difficult neighbourhoods, it allowed us the municipal police to focus on the most sensitive areas and contain the increase in the workforce. Remains that this is expensive and that all cities do not have the means. Their mayors are right to point this situation of inequality.

What do you think the Loppsi Bill measures as curfews for less than thirteen years

I am safe, but any Mayor similarly. Establish such curfew across an agglomeration of 1.7 million inhabitants is disproportionate. That the prefect applied in certain districts in exceptional circumstances seems more appropriate. Otherwise, it takes the risk to send negative signals to a share of the population and lose control of the situation. Lyon, there is no deep antagonism between communities. It must preserve the spirit of gathering. And then, I find it legislates much too. Since Nicolas Sarkozy has responsibility for security, there must be at the 22eloi in this area. However on the does not apply. There is a kind of saturation with all these texts, even among the police.

How is the record of travel and the Roma people managed at Lyon

We have reached 80 of us are outsourced by the Besson law objectives. We have two sites to build. Outside these obligations, we have designed other sites for families wishing to settle. With regard to illegal settlements, I demand the expulsion of the occupants. This applies to all offenders, whatever they may be, including the Roma, and in all cases, including the squatts of buildings. In no way, it is me control if people are in legal or illegal. This is the only police. It is a position which I stand strictly since I am Mayor of Lyon where the arrival of the first Roma was even already in 1995. This population is therefore not to be subject to special treatment. For its members, as for others, it is French law and European texts that apply the same penalties for offences.