[4] The Sûreté nationale, or Sûreté, began as the criminal investigative bureau of the Préfecture de police de Paris (Paris Police Prefecture) and did not function as the national command and control organization until much later, by which time it no longer had any detectives on its staff.
The French Sûreté is considered a pioneer of all crime-fighting organizations in the world, although London's Bow Street Runners, founded 1749, served a similar purpose at times.
Founded in 1812 by Eugène François Vidocq, who headed it until 1827, it was the inspiration for Scotland Yard, the FBI, and other departments of criminal investigation throughout the world.
The force was to work undercover and its early members consisted largely of reformed criminals.
By 1820 – eight years after its formation – it had blossomed into a 30-man team of experts that had reduced the crime rate in Paris by 40%.