More than 2,200 uniformed railway workers working in patrols, watch over the railway property. Code name: SUGE.

A longstanding mission
They have a special role with the SNCF - general surveillance, what we call “SUGE”, and they are therefore licensed to carry a weapon. Their mission is defined by various laws, the first of which goes back as far as 1845!
The most recent, dated 5 March 2007, defines their role in crime prevention. The scope of their action is limited to stations, trains and SNCF property. In practice, their role is to help passengers travel peacefully, to guard freight that is transported and to secure sites by preventing people entering illegally and endangering themselves.

Prevention and protection
More than 2200 officers keep an eye on railway property, with more than half being based in the Paris region, where traffic and population densities are highest. They provide reassurance through their visible presence, and intervene if required, in liaison with the SNCF's national security operations centre. They can make official reports of any offences to the railway police: setting off an alarm without good reason, damaging equipment, travelling without a ticket etc. They can arrest offenders or even detain them before handing them over to the appropriate police authorities. They work closely with the police forces and call them in whenever the situation so requires.

Training and supervision
This is not the type of job that you can play by ear. SUGE agents receive initial training of at least 24 weeks at SNCF's National School of Security, a course which covers criminal law, safety, shooting and intervention techniques. After this, agents receive continuing on-the-job training to tailor their approach to the latest security requirements.