Gendarmerie Bloodhound

[Gardian]

Our local village - a biggish village, busy with tourists in the Summer, but you can walk from one end to the other & back in 5 minutes. Very quiet at this time of the year.

I was dozing in the car while Mrs G was having one of her twice weekly kine sessions. Saw a bloke in ‘fatigues’ with a very, very large bloodhound on the end of a long leash. Two (human) colleagues in tow. The labels were ‘Gendarmerie’ on their backs.

The dog was doing what hounds do - sniffing in every nook & cranny. I wondered afterwards:

- a drugs check? Seems unlikely in the middle of the village.

- explosives? Again a bit unlikely, although I might want to reconsider where I park in future!

- a training exercise for a new-on-the-job dog?

The last seems the most likely.

Just thought that I’d mention it - the boy / girl bloodhound was massive and very enthusiastic for his / her work. They probably adjourned to the village bar for a well earned ‘coup’ afterwards. Would have given the dog an opportunity to have a sniff at some of the dodgy locals ! Rather him / her than me !

[woolybanana]

Was the dog actually a new gendarme in disguise or going through some sort of initiation ceremony, hazing?

[andyh4]

Or perhaps they were just taking the dog for an "Empty"

[Gardian]

Wooly was right - he’s just a new gendarme in disguise.

Saw him this afternoon, leaning on the counter in the local bar & sipping a pastis. Normal training around here.

p.s. Big counter terrorism exercise in the local town yesterday, aimed specifically at a couple of the local schools. Looks as though he would have been involved & Monday was a dry run.

[NormanH]

Big counter terrorism exercise in the local town yesterday,

Here  in Béziers I still see regular patrols of 4 or 6 armed soldiers, though that is more for show than for counter terrorism..