COS

NEWS

At the beginning of May, I found myself implicated (accused) in a sordid criminal affair.
I quickly realized that it was a slanderous denunciation designed to harm me, but you have to defend yourself!
So I prepared very well for my hearing at the 36 (police judiciaire).

So here I am, in the PJ premises, and I’m having a hard time of it.

1st surprise: on the reception desk is a poster with a QR Code asking users to give their opinion on the reception they received!
I admit that at the time I found the approach inappropriate… How is it that police officers care about satisfaction? I’m thinking to myself…

At the start of the interview, I expect to be “cut up”, dirtied up, almost assaulted by investigators who are dealing with what should be “a creep”; but from the outset, it’s nothing of the sort.
The investigator puts me at ease and asks me questions without innuendo, she’s professional, I feel respected and listened to. I sense her concern to find the truth without confusing accusation with guilt.
I was struck by her ability to have no preconceptions.
The hearing lasted a total of 6 hours (yes, it’s very long).
Once I had signed my statement, the investigator explained to me that – in her opinion – the magistrate should not pursue the investigation.

She wasn’t obliged to tell me, but I sincerely believe that she was worried for me, given the weakness of the accusation and the strength of my arguments, even though she explained to me that she wasn’t the decision-maker. It was the magistrate who would decide the fate of this complaint within 24 hours.

I left the room confident and eagerly awaited the call from the investigator the next day, as she had promised.

24 hours later, no call. It’s a pity, everything was perfect in the management of the relationship but now it’s going off the rails. What’s more, this call is absolutely crucial!

I wait another 24 hours, no news. An assistant tells me she’s forwarding my request, but obviously no one is in the office that Friday at 6pm!

I really start to have doubts, and then at 6.30pm, the OPJ calls me up, apologizing for the delay “because she’s had so many emergencies to deal with” (we can easily forgive her, because at the PJ, emergencies are no laughing matter!).

She tells me the good news: the magistrate has decided not to proceed… as she had suggested.

In the end, I remember the empathy (I didn’t say “sympathy”) shown by this OPJ. Her genuine concern – not to satisfy a client – but not to mistreat a man who was merely a suspect, not yet guilty (and in this case innocent).

I’m sorry I didn’t flashcode the QR code to express my appreciation of the team’s concern for users.

And incidentally, I have to admit that the police also do a good job.