Par Célia Lespinasse
Published on Oct 17, 23 at 3:32 p.m. See my news Follow News Perpignan Patrick Sanchez (left) is the new Commander of the EDSR of the Pyrénées-Orientales. On his right, General Christian Lagarde. (©Célia Lespinasse / Actu Perpignan)
This Tuesday, October 17, 2023, Patrick Sanchez officially took office as commander of the EDSR of the Eastern Pyrenees. The native of Carcassonne (Aude) will lead the road safety squadron whose essential mission is road safety. He succeeds Commander Julien Richy.
Three generations of Sanchez were united during the prestigious ceremony. Commander Sanchez was surrounded by his wife, his mother and his son. The handover took place in the Munier Barracks in Perpignan.
#1. Its missions: to reduce the number of accidents on the roads
“The number of accidents, deaths and injuries is increasing in the department,” declared Colonel Goudard, commander of the Pyrénées-Orientales gendarmerie group, this morning. Commander Sanchez bears the heavy responsibility of fighting against the scourges of road safety, such as driving under drugs and alcohol.
The commander will have to manage crises which arise during the summer period, on major roads such as the A9. Vigilance will be increased during major events and gatherings, such as festivals for example, or the Barcarès Christmas market.
Commander Sanchez (left) and Colonel Goudard (right) (©Célia Lespinasse / Actu Perpignan)
Before his motorcycle headed for the Pyrénées-Orientales, Commander Patrick Sanchez served nineteen years as a road safety deputy. Its objective is to ensure that there are as few accidents as possible.
#2. His professional journey: from Nord-Pas-de-Calais to the PO.
This accomplished gendarme has come a long way, after more than thirty years of career. “I started serving in Haute-Vienne, then went to Aveyron, Tarn-et-Garonne, Haute-Garonne,” smiles the soldier. With the officer’s exam in hand, the gendarme takes charge of the territorial brigade of Angoulême (Charente).
Before taking up his duties within the EDSR command of the Pyrénées-Orientales, Commander Patrick Sanchez worked in Pas-de-Calais and, despite the 1000 km that separate these two departments, he sees many similarities there.
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The Côte Vermeille has nothing to envy of the Côte d’Opale, I met women and men of character there who love their land, their traditions and their customs.
Commander Patrick Sanchez
The biker, an officer for ten years, has already commanded a road safety squadron in Châteauroux (Indre). “Today, I find myself in the Pyrénées-Orientales, the neighboring department of my original department, for my last position,” he rejoices.
#3. How it works: “I don’t want to spread stress to my staff”
Pride, honor and passion. These three words resonate for him as the very definition of a policeman. “We often reduce our action to the sole presence of a policeman at the side of the road, it is much more than that, you proved it during the festivities this summer or during the great fire of Saint-André”, address he told his staff.
Squadron leader Sanchez during the handover ceremony at the Munier barracks in Perpignan. (©Célia Lespinasse / Actu Perpignan)
At work, the Carcassonnais wants to be calm and serene. “I don’t want to spread stress to my staff,” he assures.
#4. Its objectives: prevention in schools and on the road
Its major project, Security. “After the Covid years, we saw accidents start to rise again, there is important work to be done, both repressive but also preventive,” he insists. The gendarme will not hesitate to carry out prevention in schools, colleges and high schools in particular.
The commander is in charge of all the gendarme bikers and the highway platoon. “I intend to implement actions on l’A9, when going on vacation. These are interventions that have proven themselves in the past,” he announces, without giving further details.
#5. His passions: motorbikes and walks
The motorcycle, for Commander Sanchez, is sacred! “I made it my job, but I do a lot of motorcycle riding in private,” he confides. Passionate about sport, the gendarme also enjoys cinema and walks.
One thing is certain, the gendarme will not fail to travel the most beautiful roads of the Pyrénées-Orientales, to discover our beautiful department.
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