60,000 Gendarmes mobilised for 2009 summer season

The National Gendarmerie forces increased the number of gendarmes mobilised as part of Summer Dolphin Plan this year to ensure the safety and quietude of holiday-makers along Algeria's seaboard.

• Intervention forces were involved in coastal provinces along with the mobilisation of students at the Gendarmerie schools and fresh graduates.
• Patrols are expected to be beefed up at night in beaches to detect any suspicious movement. The plan will be in force between June 1st and mid-September.
• A special plan was set up to ensure safety at Tchaker stadium in Blida province (west of Algiers) where the Algerian football squad is expected to play against Egypt on June 7.
• An official at the Gendarmerie told Echorouk, the Dolphin Plan which is launched every year came into force early this year due to the high temperature and crowded beaches.
• “More than 1,000 additional gendarmes have been mobilised as part of this plan in the 14 coastal provinces as the Gendarmerie forces ensure security coverage of about 80 percent of the beaches in Algeria,” he said.
• “The number of  gendarmes reached about 60,000 deployed in 245 beaches in charge of ensuring security coverage along the 1,200 km of coasts and a 100,000 km road traffic network.