French Gendarmerie appoints new commanders in Soissons and Calvados

The French Gendarmerie has announced new leadership appointments in the Soissons and Calvados regions.

In Soissons, Captain Guillaume Boutin assumed command of the departmental gendarmerie company on August 1. Boutin, 31, previously served as the head of the communication office for the National Judicial Police Unit in Pontoise and has experience with the provostal gendarmerie, including missions in Estonia. His new role involves addressing local violence and various forms of trafficking.

In Calvados, Colonel Yann Renard took command of the Calvados Gendarmerie Group on August 1. Renard, 48, oversees approximately 760 personnel across six companies. His previous experience includes leading intervention units such as the Gendarmerie Mobile in Troyes and Orange, a GIGN antenna in Réunion, and coordinating intervention forces (RAID, GIGN, BRI) in Paris. He succeeds Colonel David Cazimajou.