[1] A delegated prefect for police was instituted in Bouches-du-Rhône in 1972 at the same time as in other French departments.
[2] Following numerous cases involving drug traffickers in the Marseille urban area, the Government of France announced the creation of a full-service police prefect for Bouches-du-Rhône on 8 September 2012.
[1] Together with the Paris Police Prefect, this is the only full-service police prefect in France; however, unlike Paris, the department of Bouches-du-Rhône remains organically attached to the National Police.
Thus, whilst the Paris Police Prefecture has its own administration and specific competences (aliens, driving licenses, noise pollution, defence and security amongst others), this is not the case with the Bouches-du-Rhône Police Prefect who has only functional authority over the National Police and Gendarmerie services, as well as over the services of the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône for the execution of the powers which are entrusted by law.
[citation needed] The mission of the Bouches-du-Rhône Police Prefecture comprises the following four tasks:[4]