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French gendarmes use humour online to deliver message
Officers use light-hearted approach on social media to hammer home important safety messages
You might not think it when they flag you down, but gendarmes in France actually do have a sense of humour - and officers in the Vosges are proving the point with a light-hearted turn on social media.
Par temps froid, les animaux sont attirés par la chaleur des moteurs venant de tourner.
— Gendarmerie des Vosges (@Gendarmerie_088) December 9, 2020
Si vous entendez miauler, pensez à soulever le capot de votre véhicule. Si vous entendez meugler, pensez à... Non, rien. pic.twitter.com/anhQWndp0o
Gendarmes in the Vosges temper serious messages covering topics from road safety, lockdown rules and forest fires, with humour, and clearly do not get riled in the real world when members of the public complain about the inconvenience of being stopped while driving.
"𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳ô𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘪, 𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳ô𝘭𝘦𝘴 ç𝘢. 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘢..." Toujours à vous plaindre !
— Gendarmerie des Vosges (@Gendarmerie_088) December 7, 2020
Mais si nous ne vous contrôlions pas à l'occasion, comment pourriez-vous savoir que nous sommes aussi sympa en vrai que sur les réseaux sociaux ?! pic.twitter.com/Lmmcwacj3I
Their Twitter feed has become something of a blockbuster. Some 26,000 followers - including a few important political figures such as the mayor of Paris and a number of MPs - see messages every day from the officers, a couple of which pass on important messages in a humorous manner.
Each message - even the humorous ones - are developed and refined in private meetings,often online - and are approved by a commander before being sent out. And they are proving so popular that officers are even being sent gifts from online fans!
Les Vosges ! C'est bôôô...
— Gendarmerie des Vosges (@Gendarmerie_088) December 6, 2020
Soyez patients, nos montagnes n'ont pas prévu de partir en vacances. Elles seront toujours là pour vous accueillir lorsque les conditions sanitaires le permettront.
En attendant, prenez soin de vous 💙 (surtout que les indicateurs se dégradent ici) pic.twitter.com/cTKMQhNAJ4
The success of the Vosges officers' social media tone is now being copied in other departments, notably Charente-Maritime, Vienne, Ardèche, and Seine-et-Marne
"We wanted to show that the gendarmes are also people who live in the territories, who have children and take part in activities," said one officer in an interview with Le Monde, about the messages which regularly include cultural references.
This is the first one for Monday, December 14, which clearly seeks to offer a sense of perspective.
Si ça peut aider, voici de quoi relativiser un peu les choses...
— Gendarmerie des Vosges (@Gendarmerie_088) December 14, 2020
Bonne semaine. pic.twitter.com/ecwy4E5H1q
Unsurprisingly, not everyone is amused, and - this being the age of the keyboard warrior - some have chosen to vent their spleens in response. So, the gendarmes even have a message for the trolls out there.