[1] There are 60 "general service" CRS companies, specialized in public order and crowd control; nine "motorway" companies (French: Compagnies autoroutières) specialized in highway patrol in urban areas; and six "zonal" motorcycle units (one per Defense zone.

[3] Some of the CRS officers from the "general service" companies are cross trained and serve as lifeguards on the beaches during the summer vacations.

The CRS are a civilian corps (unlike the gendarmes, who are military), trained in anti-insurrection and antiriot techniques.

[6] Up to sixteen additional companies were created in Algeria during the Algerian War of Independence and disestablished at the end of the conflict.

During the 1990s, the equipment continued to evolve and the CRS were re-equipped with smaller vans to better adapt the companies to the urban environment (both in their surveillance and riot control missions).

[7] Their missions include: Some of the CRS officers are cross trained and serve as lifeguards during the summer season.

A complement of a regular company is as follows: The suppressive role and occasional abuse of force by the CRS[9] towards protesters[10][11] or even school children[12] has led to criticisms among human rights supporters.

[14] This policy falls short of a complete merger, as the gendarmes have kept their military status while the CRS are a highly unionized civilian body; rapprochement has led to more commonality in terms of equipment for the two forces.