The police officer noted that the French justice system should have a harder stance toward criminals. According to him, judges often have a soft attitude to those who commit crimes — in particular foreigners with resident permits — and release them on parole instead of deporting them from the country.
On July 14 a truck rammed into a large crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the city of Nice. At least 84 people, including children, were killed and hundreds of others were injured. The French investigation found that the person behind the attack was 31-year-old Nice resident of Tunisian origin Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel.
"It would be right if the convicts would be deprived of their residence permits, forced to return to their countries and banned from staying in France," he said. "It is necessary that people who commit crimes of ordinary criminal nature, would, at least serve a full sentence. Often, before going to prison, some of them have committed 50 small crimes and still have not been sentenced," the police officer said.
"I don't know how to stop a vehicle racing at a full speed, but if the police could use rifles or long arms, it could be stopped quickly," the policeman said.
However, there is currently no legislative basis giving the police officers the right to use the arms without risking receiving a punishment, the police officer argued.
"Now, before opening fire, the police should think carefully whether they would act within the law and whether they would be sanctioned after that," he said.
