Job profile: how to join the technical and scientific police (TSP)?

The National Police offers numerous specializations. Among them, the technical and scientific police participates in the fight against organized crime, delinquency as well as against terrorism. Let's discover together the missions, entry conditions, training, career advancement and salary of the specialized agents, technicians and engineers who make up this specialty.

Summary:

• Uniform and equipment
• Missions
• Competitive examinations
• Training
• Career advancement
• Salary

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The Technical and Scientific Police can equally contribute to the fight against terrorism, organized crime as well as medium or petty crime. The majority of PTS missions are carried out on French territory, but can sometimes extend internationally as part of cooperation with Interpol for example.

The Technical and Scientific Police section comprises three professional bodies.

Specialized Agents of the Technical and Scientific Police (ASTPS) 

ASPTS perform sampling and collect evidence at crime scenes. They also assist at autopsies to reconstruct the facts. The daily missions of an ASTPS involve many administrative tasks. These state civil servants work under the authority of PTS technicians and engineers.

Technicians of the Technical and Scientific Police (TPTS)

The TPTS, themselves assisted by agents, help engineers in analyses and scientific examinations. Working in laboratories, they contribute to the identification of offenders.

Engineers of the Technical and Scientific Police (IPTS)

The IPTS also work in laboratories. They are very rarely required to travel to crime scenes or locations. The technical and scientific police engineer leads the team of technicians and specialized agents.

The Technical and Scientific Police comprises several specialties. It is at the time of registration for the Technical and Scientific Police engineer competitive examination that candidates choose their specialty. Among these, we find:

• Ballistics;
• Biology;
• Analytical chemistry;
• Documents and handwritten materials;
• Phonetics;
• Physics;
• Quality;
• Electronics;
• Telecommunications;
• Judicial identity;
• Toxicology;
• Health and safety;
• Signal processing;
• Computer science.

The selection tests to enter the technical and scientific police are conducted through external competitive examination and in two phases. The first phase, called eligibility, includes the study of a text of general scope or a technical file, a multiple choice questionnaire on a scientific program and psychotechnical tests. The second part, called admission, includes a motivation interview with a jury as well as an optional language test. Before being able to register for the competitive examination, as with other National Police specialties, the following conditions must be met:

• Be at least 18 years old;
• Be of French nationality;
• Have completed the defense and citizenship day;
• Have a clean criminal record;
• Hold a high school diploma (Bachelor's degree +5 for IPTS);
• Hold a Class B driver's license;
• Be deemed fit during the medical examination.

To join the Technical and Scientific Police, the candidate who passes the competitive examination must undergo training comprising a common core of 6 to 8 weeks, a immersion internship of two weeks in their assigned region, as well as technical training modules lasting 3 to 8 weeks at the Central Service of Technical and Scientific Police (SCPTS) in Écully in the Rhône department (69).

The specialized agents of the Technical and Scientific Police (ASPTS) can then become Technicians through advancement. Technicians can advance by taking charge, according to their rank, of the supervision of other technicians and/or ASPTS. An internal competitive examination, accessible after a few years of seniority, can also allow them to advance to an engineer position. IPTS can advance to positions as service heads or scientific police laboratory directors.

As in the National Gendarmerie, the salary of National Police state civil servants depends on the rank and levels. To move to the higher rank, the civil servant must make a promotion request. To climb the levels of their rank, they must complete the required number of years at each level before being automatically promoted. Salaries start at approximately €1500 net per month for a 1st grade ASPTS at the first level and can rise to more than €6000 net per month for an engineer at the highest rank and level. Bonuses and allowances can sometimes be added to this fixed salary.