Crimes of Paris: A True Story of Murder, Theft, and Detection by Dorothy Hoobler, Thomas Hoobler Page B
Authors: Dorothy Hoobler, Thomas Hoobler
Tags: History
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police, who were poorly organized.
At the time, the Prefecture of Paris, still led by the Baron de Pasquier, was composed of the First Division, or Administrative
Branch, and the Second Division, or Special Investigative Branch, under “Papa” Henry. The city was divided into several geographic
sectors, each under the jurisdiction of a
commissaire
with a small staff. The
commissaires
worked only within their own domains, so criminals who ranged freely over the whole city were hard to track down. Vidocq
recognized in this confusion a possible job for himself. He suggested that a small group of crime fighters be formed to operate
throughout Paris, to keep the criminal and ex-convict population under surveillance. His group could stop crimes before they
occurred, a novel idea for the time.
Henry and de Pasquier had been impressed by Vidocq’s earlier services and agreed to give him four assistants; his staff would
grow over time to twenty-eight. They were paid from secret funds and not publicly acknowledged. In the autumn of 1812, Vidocq
and his men were formalized as the plainclothes bureau. Thus began the Sûreté, or security police, which was eventually to
become the official investigative branch of the French judiciary.
Vidocq chose ex-criminals and ex-cons for his agents, believing they were the only ones with the street smarts and toughness
to do the job he had in mind. Even at this time, Vidocq had it in his mind that, like him, these ex-offenders could become
useful members of society. He proudly recalled: “I preferred men whose record had given them a little celebrity. Well! I often
gave these men the most delicate missions. They had considerable sums to deliver to the police or the prison offices; they
took part in operations in which they could have easily laid hands on large amounts [of money], and not one of them, not a
single one, betrayed my trust.” 12
The men of Vidocq’s force received no salary; instead they were paid a fee and expenses for each arrest. As a result, regular
police officers, who disliked the idea of these irregular forces, spread rumors that his men were solving crimes that they
themselves had organized. Vidocq denied this, though he readily acknowledged that he and his men mingled with the criminals
of Paris: “I did not hesitate to risk myself in this herd of wretches. I associated with them; I fraternized with them; and
I soon had the advantage of being considered one of them. It was while I was drinking with these gentlemen that I learned
about the crimes they had committed or premeditated.… So I obtained from them all the information I needed. When I gave the
signal for an arrest, it was almost certain that the individuals would be taken in the very act, or with the stolen goods,
which would justify their sentence.” 13 In case of a shootout, Vidocq would often pretend to be hit and have himself carried away as dead under a quilt.
Having served in prisons himself, Vidocq knew that they were training grounds for criminals; upon their release, many prisoners
promptly returned to a life of crime. So he often visited Bicêtre Prison on the outskirts of Paris and had the warden line
up the worst prisoners in the exercise yard. He would walk up and down the line, studying their faces and looking for distinguishing
characteristics such as moles, tattoos, and scars, so that he would recognize them when they returned to Paris. Vidocq proved
to have a keen memory for faces, perhaps because he himself was so adept at disguise. Among those he arrested was a man who
was passing himself off as nobility; Vidocq recognized him as having been in prison for stealing bank notes.
Vidocq’s superiors approved of his work, and the number of his assistants grew. In 1817, his organization was credited with
more than eight hundred arrests. Over time, Vidocq professionalized his department, becoming the first to formalize the process
of
At the time, the Prefecture of Paris, still led by the Baron de Pasquier, was composed of the First Division, or Administrative
Branch, and the Second Division, or Special Investigative Branch, under “Papa” Henry. The city was divided into several geographic
sectors, each under the jurisdiction of a
commissaire
with a small staff. The
commissaires
worked only within their own domains, so criminals who ranged freely over the whole city were hard to track down. Vidocq
recognized in this confusion a possible job for himself. He suggested that a small group of crime fighters be formed to operate
throughout Paris, to keep the criminal and ex-convict population under surveillance. His group could stop crimes before they
occurred, a novel idea for the time.
Henry and de Pasquier had been impressed by Vidocq’s earlier services and agreed to give him four assistants; his staff would
grow over time to twenty-eight. They were paid from secret funds and not publicly acknowledged. In the autumn of 1812, Vidocq
and his men were formalized as the plainclothes bureau. Thus began the Sûreté, or security police, which was eventually to
become the official investigative branch of the French judiciary.
Vidocq chose ex-criminals and ex-cons for his agents, believing they were the only ones with the street smarts and toughness
to do the job he had in mind. Even at this time, Vidocq had it in his mind that, like him, these ex-offenders could become
useful members of society. He proudly recalled: “I preferred men whose record had given them a little celebrity. Well! I often
gave these men the most delicate missions. They had considerable sums to deliver to the police or the prison offices; they
took part in operations in which they could have easily laid hands on large amounts [of money], and not one of them, not a
single one, betrayed my trust.” 12
The men of Vidocq’s force received no salary; instead they were paid a fee and expenses for each arrest. As a result, regular
police officers, who disliked the idea of these irregular forces, spread rumors that his men were solving crimes that they
themselves had organized. Vidocq denied this, though he readily acknowledged that he and his men mingled with the criminals
of Paris: “I did not hesitate to risk myself in this herd of wretches. I associated with them; I fraternized with them; and
I soon had the advantage of being considered one of them. It was while I was drinking with these gentlemen that I learned
about the crimes they had committed or premeditated.… So I obtained from them all the information I needed. When I gave the
signal for an arrest, it was almost certain that the individuals would be taken in the very act, or with the stolen goods,
which would justify their sentence.” 13 In case of a shootout, Vidocq would often pretend to be hit and have himself carried away as dead under a quilt.
Having served in prisons himself, Vidocq knew that they were training grounds for criminals; upon their release, many prisoners
promptly returned to a life of crime. So he often visited Bicêtre Prison on the outskirts of Paris and had the warden line
up the worst prisoners in the exercise yard. He would walk up and down the line, studying their faces and looking for distinguishing
characteristics such as moles, tattoos, and scars, so that he would recognize them when they returned to Paris. Vidocq proved
to have a keen memory for faces, perhaps because he himself was so adept at disguise. Among those he arrested was a man who
was passing himself off as nobility; Vidocq recognized him as having been in prison for stealing bank notes.
Vidocq’s superiors approved of his work, and the number of his assistants grew. In 1817, his organization was credited with
more than eight hundred arrests. Over time, Vidocq professionalized his department, becoming the first to formalize the process
of
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