CONCERNING THE REPRESSION OF CRIME, THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT HAS RECENTLY ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE THE TRADITIONAL PROCEDURE BY INVESTIGATING GANGS AND POTENTIAL CRIMINALS BEFORE RATHER THAN AFTER AN OFFENSE HAS BEEN COMMITTED. THE ARREST USUALLY TAKES PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE OFFENSE HAS BEEN PERPETRATED WHEN THE CRIMINALS ARE STILL IN POSSESSION OF THE LOOT, WEAPONS, AND OTHER INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE. THIS TYPE OF INTERVENTION HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF IMMEDIATELY ELIMINATING FURTHER CRIMINAL THREATS AND OF MAKING THE SUBSEQUENT COURT ACTION EASIER; HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, IT REQUIRES A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PERSONNEL FOR THE INITIAL SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITY. SINCE CRIMINALS IN PREPARING AN OFFENSE USUALLY HAVE SOME KIND OF CONTACT WITH THE OBJECT OF THE CRIME, PRIVATE GUARDS, BODY GUARDS, TRANSPORT ESCORTS, AND SURVEILLANCE CENTERS WHO GUARD THESE OBJECTS DAILY COULD FURNISH VALUABLE INFORMATION BY REPORTING UNUSUAL ACTIVITIES. IN THE PREVENTION OF CRIME, A SECOND MAIN TASK OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT, PRIVATE SECURITY AGENTS PLAY A PART BY DISSUADING PROSPECTIVE ATTACKS THROUGH THEIR MERE PRESENCE. HOWEVER, CRIME STATISTICS AND RECENT KIDNAPPINGS SHOW THAT THIS DISSUASIVE EFFECT IS VERY LIMITED. IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE INVESTIGATIVE DEPARTMENT IN COMBATTING AND PREVENTING CRIME, PRIVATE SECURITY AGENTS NEED SPECIFIC TRAINING. THE INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED A BROCHURE TO HELP SUCH INDEPENDENT PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL AGGRESSORS. IN GENERAL, THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE DEPARTMENT AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISES MUST COOPERATE IN THE INTEREST OF GREATER PUBLIC SECURITY. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS NO REFERENCES. --IN FRENCH. (SAJ)