[1] Since 2017, it has acquired direct responsibility for the three main airports of the Paris area (Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget).

Municipal police officers began patrolling city streets on foot, bicycle, and by car starting on October 18, 2021.

The goal of the municipal police is to "make neighbourhoods safer and more peaceful and ensure that public space is shared," for example by enforcing laws on parking, littering, breaking up quarrels, and assisting homeless or elderly residents.

As it is the capital of France, with government assemblies and offices and foreign embassies, Paris poses special issues of security and public order.

These four communes were added in the 19th century to the jurisdiction of the Prefecture of Police in order to ensure special protection of the imperial/royal residences located there.

The Prefecture of Police also has limited jurisdiction over the whole Île-de-France région for the coordination of law enforcement, including combatting cybercrime.

The Prefect of Police, acting as Prefect of the Defense Zone of Paris (Préfet de la Zone de Défense de Paris), is in charge of planning non-military defense measures to keep public order, guarantee the security of public services, and organize rescue operations (in case of natural disaster) for the whole Île-de-France région (which is made up of eight départements, the four inner ones being the regular jurisdiction of the Prefecture of Police, and the four outer ones being outside of its regular jurisdiction).

Source: Centre historique des Archives nationales, Série Y, Châtelet de Paris, on page 38 of the PDF.