Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - There are clean-cut, clearcut strikes and then there are bearded strikes, the kind that the gendarmes, or highway and roads police, have declared in Geneva.
They are going to work, but they won’t be handing out fines to drivers, they are not wearing uniforms, nor are they shaving (ed. note: we cannot legally photograph Geneva police without prior permission from their superiors).
The cops say that their administrative workload has quadrupled in recent months due to a change in the penal code and they argue that they are not paid enough for night work. The police union agreed at a 16 February general assembly to continue working but to stop handing out fines and “en civile”, ignoring the uniform code and clean-cut regulations.
Isabel Rochat, the councilor who oversees them, held a press conference Friday where she called their demands “unrealistic” and their behaviour an affront to citizens.
Links to other sites: Hebdo (Fr), Tribune de Geneve (Fr), 20 Minutes (Fr)
Update: 4 February
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Six men were arrested at Cornavin train station in Geneva by border patrol and customs agents when they were discovered during a routine check to be carrying 45 banned weapons, almost all of which were disguised as other items. A strange assortment of other items was also seized.
Mask and banned weapons confiscated - Photos SFCA
A bizarre stockpile of elements seized - Photo SFCA
The arrests took place at 15:00 Monday 31 January when the men, residents of Lyon, France, were leaving the Swiss sector in the station to head towards the French side.
Authorities say the haul included 42 tasers, 10 of which resembled flashlights. The other 32 looked like mobile phones.
Also confiscated: a cigarette lighter that hid a knife inside, an automatic knife, an expandable spring baton, hoods, handcuffs, laser pointers and several balaclavas, masks and handcuffs.
Police have not said why the group, age 20 to 26, was transporting the banned weapons but say they were probably not going to be put to good use.
The men admitted buying the items in Thailand where they are not banned.
After a month-long trip, the group traveled back to Europe via Zurich where they were able to pass customs inspection at the airport by keeping separate from each other.
Once in Geneva however, the group reassembled while going through customs which alerted authorities.
Two of the men had previous criminal records in France. The group was released, but the authorities say now that they have been identified it will be easy to keep track of them if they return to Switzerland.
Police say two-canton sweep nets alleged drug dealers, cocaine, money
Cocaine bust in Lausanne - Photo Lausanne police
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Three people arrested, 2.5 kilos of cocaine at 80 percent purity, false identity documents and almost CHF60,000 in cash were seized during a police investigation that lasted several months and involved cantons Vaud and Geneva.
The police operation began in 2009 when a Lausanne-based drug dealer was arrested for possession of cocaine and several thousand francs at his residence. Soon after, police were able to establish that his two main suppliers lived in Geneva.
Flying back from warm climates, other time zones to Geneva: keep up your guard at the airport
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Passengers at Geneva’s Cointrin airport are more than normally the target of thieves and purse snatchers during the holidays, and airport security services are cautioning people to be extra-vigilant over the holiday season. A well-known graphic designer was robbed of his bag containing ID, credit cards and money as he was loading his things into a car after a trip, reports 2o Minutes 22 December.
The first holiday weekend, 19-20 December, saw 100,000 people pass through the airport, nearly double the usual number. Signs at the airport remind passengers to be wary: thieves find that tired and disoriented arriving passengers and stressed departing ones are easy prey.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Geneva’s tourism office and political authorities are taking steps to calm the situation and in particular relations with Saudi Arabia after Geneva police confirmed 10 August that a Saudi Arabian man was beaten unconscious in Geneva and his credit cards stolen three weeks ago. Police spokesperson Jean-Philippe Brandt confirmed the news on Swiss radio station RSR. The confirmation followed strongly worded statements from Saudi Arabia’s consul general Nabil Mohamed Al-Saleh that police in Geneva have not done their job, accusations that he repeated Tuesday morning 11 August in an interview with Fribourg newspaper La Liberté. Other representatives of the Arab community in Geneva nevertheless said the situation must be kept in perspective, that Geneva does a good job of welcoming Arab tourists.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Geneva police swooped down on the colourful Paquis district Friday evening 5 June, the fourth time in a month, in an ongoing operation to clear the streets of petty crime.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - A Saturday evening high speed car chase through Vézenas, Collonge, Corsier and Anières almost caused a serious accident, and Geneva police are asking for witnesses to come forward with details. A police patrol car on the quai de Collogny noticed a VW Polo driving recklessly along the lake road towards Vézenaz at around 21:00 and took off in pursuit. The driver raced up the hill to Vésenaz and narrowly missed two pedestrians crossing the road at the light in front of the Coop. Police are asking for the two pedestrians to call +41 22 307 9111, the Brigade de Sécurité Routière.
Geneva, Switzerland (20 Minutes, Fre) – Geneva’s leaders and its police continue to be at odds over work issues, including the unsettled problem of how much overtime pay the police should receive for the Euro 2008 football championship.
Geneva, Switzerland (20min, Fre) – The police in the city of Geneva is preparing a welcome-back-to-school operative to remind drivers of the basics rule of the road, especially near schools. As of Monday 27 October, police promises warnings, not tickets, in part due to their “slowdown“. However, beware you still could receive a fine if the offense jeopardizes your safety or the safety of others.
Geneva, Switzerland (TSR, Fre) – Laurent Moutinot, Geneva councilor with responsibility for the police, has told officers that the Euro 2008 football cup pay bonus”promised” to them was always subject to approval by the canton’s Council finance commission, which has given its final word: no.
Geneva, Switzerland (TDG, English Corner) – The police in Geneva have given roller skates to more officers, increasing the number who are patrolling the city on skates. The move was made to increase security in the run-up to the Fetes de Geneve, which begins 2 August.
