Direction nationale de la police aux frontières
La direction nationale de la police aux frontières is a directorate of the French National Police that is responsible for border control at certain border crossing points in France.
It was established in 1973 as police de l'air et des frontières. On 29 January 1999, it was given its current name, and its existing organisational character was determined in 2011.
It works alongside its British counterpart, the UK Border Force, at the juxtaposed controls in Calais and along the Channel Tunnel Rail Link with British Transport Police; and at the Port of Dover with Kent Police and Port of Dover Police.
Since 1995, customs have replaced the border police in carrying out immigration control at smaller border checkpoints, in particular at maritime ports and regional airports.
Organisation
DNPAF is headed by a central director assisted by a deputy central director and includes 2 different commands:- A central command, consisting of a staff, support services, and 3 sub-directorates;
- A territorial command, made up of DNPAF's zonal directorates.
Central command
The central command of DNPAF, headed by a central director and senior police officers from the design and management body, is composed of:- A staff,
- Irregular immigration and territorial services sub-directorate, to which is attached the Central Office for the Suppression of Irregular Immigration and the Employment of Untitled Foreigners which coordinates and animates the activity deployed by the investigative units of the decentralized services,
- a Resources Branch,
- a sub-directorate for cross-border international affairs and security, in particular responsible for monitoring relations with the European Border and [Coast Guard Agency],
- the National Railway Police Service.
Territorial command