Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Taking Control of Parisian Policing (Please Follow)
Etienne pondered for a long time and decided to visit the Palace of Versailles in person tomorrow to inquire about the situation, after all, this loan was also an important business for Ravel Bank.
He had only agreed to the Duke of Orleans to delay the loan until the last day, but that didn’t mean he was not interested in doing this deal.
The next day.
Inside Joseph’s reception room, Besancon and Frient sat stiffly on the sofa covered with a Persian carpet.
Joseph signaled them to drink tea and said with a smile,
“It seems things are going quite smoothly on your end.”
Besancon had officially received the appointment as Director of Paris Police. He first took out a document and respectfully handed it to Joseph:
“Your Highness, the evaluation, reorganization, and training of police officers in all districts of Paris have been completed, and as of a few days ago, the new police force has taken over the maintenance of public order.
“This is the list of recommended candidates for key positions in the Police Headquarters after the reorganization; your final approval is still needed.”
Joseph opened the document and saw a series of police positions, each with at least two candidates, as well as their detailed information.
Joseph glanced through it and, in general, it represented a major turnover of officials in the entire Paris police system.
The Saint Antoine District had the earliest police reform, and consequently, the Saint Antoine faction accounted for nearly forty percent of the official selection, with Alden and Magone both receiving nominations for Police Commissioner.
Furthermore, police officers who were selected from the former police force, skilled in their work, incorruptible, and with a good reputation, were promoted to various officer ranks. But according to Joseph’s previous requirement, only those of minor nobility and commoner origins were used.
There were also a small number of people from Besancon’s own circle.
Joseph nodded. From this list, it was clear that Besancon was very dedicated to the police reform and also capable. Once this batch of officials was replaced, one could say that the police system in Paris was completely under his own control.
He ticked off several people he was more familiar with, like Alden, and left the rest for Besancon to decide—trust those you employ fully, grant your subordinates more power, and they will work better for you.
Besancon continued:
“Your Highness, as for the former police officers, I took the liberty of forming a ‘Daily Affairs Squad’ tasked with responsibilities such as river supervision and sanitary clean-up, and transferred them all to this squad.”
Joseph knew he was referring to those who paid to get into the police force and as they had contracts with the city hall, indeed they could not be directly dismissed; transferring them to manage city hygiene was indeed a good solution.
“Hmm, this arrangement is very good.”
Besancon carefully added lastly:
“Your Highness, the new uniforms have been tailored, and equipment has been replaced with new ones, only, regarding the funding…”
Joseph laughed and waved his hand:
“Just write a report about how much money you need and send it to me.”
“Yes. Thank you, Your Highness.”
Joseph now held the franchise fees of the Paris Angels franchisees, plus the bank shares invested by everyone from the King to the Cabinet Ministers, as well as the business income coming into the Paris Angel Company, totaling more than 3.1 million livres.
The funding for the Paris Police Headquarters was indeed not something he took to heart.
Frient, after Besancon’s report, immediately said:
“Your Highness, the first batch of students for the Paris Police Academy has been recruited, totaling 201 individuals. I plan to officially start the academy a week from now; do you think you might be available to preside over the opening ceremony?”
“So soon? Of course, I’ll be there,” Joseph was quite surprised. He knew that just half a month ago, the police academy was still just an idea of his, and in a week’s time, it was actually going to open?!
Frient said:
“Your Highness, as per your instructions, I purchased two hectares of land in the Saint Antoine District, which contained many buildings. Although somewhat rundown, with minor repairs, they are still passably usable as school buildings.
“Moreover, when the citizens of Saint Antoine District learned that the police academy was being established by Your Highness, they came to help voluntarily, and tasks like leveling the training field and similar work were completed in just one week.”
Besancon added:
“Your Highness, actually, starting from last week, on my end, 100 police officers are rotated daily to the police academy for training. Although the academy is currently in a rudimentary state, it is sufficient for general training purposes.”
Joseph thought to himself: This Frient really is talented, his efficiency is simply unlike that of an 18th-century person!
Such a subordinate must be rewarded handsomely!