French municipal video surveillance expansion

Several French municipalities are expanding video surveillance networks to enhance public security and assist law enforcement.

In Nérac, Mayor Nicolas Lacombe has initiated the installation of approximately 20 cameras, with plans to reach a total of 30 by the end of 2027. The €300,000 project aims to cover the city center and main roads to assist municipal police and the gendarmerie in investigating crimes such as burglaries. This represents a change in local policy from 2011, when residents rejected similar measures.

In Metz, the municipal council has allocated an additional €1 million to its video surveillance program, increasing the total budget to between €5 million and €6 million. This funding supports the deployment of 42 new cameras across the Devant-les-Ponts, des Îles, Queuleu, and La Patrotte neighborhoods through early 2027. Mayor François Grosdidier noted that the city has surpassed 1,000 video feeds and increased municipal police numbers by a quarter.

Local opposition in Metz has questioned the necessity of the spending, with council members arguing that the budget increase lacks a clear assessment of previous results and that public safety should prioritize human presence over technological solutions.