The existence of two separate civilian and military police forces in France stems largely from events which occurred in France from the 12th century on; in the wake of the 1789 Revolution, politicians feared that the Marechausee, the forerunner of today's Gendarmerie, posed a potential challenge to the regime if its power were not counterbalanced by a civilian police force. The Gendarmerie Nationale (GN) is a paramilitary police force that operates on a national scale exclusively in a uniformed role. It has its own maritime and air branches and serves as mountain and speleological rescue units. The GN is now involved in every aspect of national defense and the prevention and repression of crime. Although the brigades are the organic cells of the GN, specialist units have been created to meet particular challenges, such as surveillance and terrorism. Operations are conducted with the most modern resources available; full use is made of electronic equipment at all levels. Although gendarmes live in barracks, they have succeeded in being an integral part of the communities they serve through school visits and the sponsorship of community events. The work of gendarmes is difficult because of the permanent availability of all personnel, but there is no difficulty in attracting high quality recruits. The achievement level of the GN is largely attributable to the quality of its ongoing training and the cooperation it elicits from the public, which generally perceives the GN to be disciplined, efficient, and fair. Graphic and photographic illustrations are provided, along with about 50 bibliographic listings and a subject index. (Author summary modified)