Tourists visiting French resorts this summer will see armed police patrols on the beaches, as the country beefs up security measures for the holiday season.



Officers belonging to the CRS riot police force, who have previously been equipped with batons and handcuffs, will be allowed to wear special holsters carrying weapons for the first time. Bulletproof vests will also be at their disposal.



The move comes two weeks after an unarmed French police chief and his partner were killed in a stabbing in front of their house outside Paris. Isis claimed responsibility for the attack, which has sparked a debate in France about whether the forces should carry weapons outside working hours. France remains in a state of emergency following November’s deadly attacks, which left 130 dead.

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Concerns about the security of shoreline resorts have also grown since last year’s mass shooting at the Tunisian tourist resort of Port El Kantaoui, near the city of Sousse.

Nicolas Comte, a spokesman from the Unité SGP Police-Force Ouvrière, the syndicate representing the French national police, said on Wednesday that there had been no specific terrorist threats; the measures were taken primarily to ensure the safety of lifeguards.



“This is the first time that these officers will be armed. Normally throughout July and August they are in their swimsuits and unarmed,” he said, according to local reports.

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Comte was quoted as saying that recent news had shown it was “dangerous” to be a police officer in France, as officers were potential targets for terrorists. He said the CRS forces could clearly be identified as they normally had police badges and wore T-shirts.



“We can see these days that the police are the target of terrorists, but this is also to ensure the police are ready to respond in the event of an armed attack,” Comte said. “This is a win-win situation for everyone. It means that there are people to provide security for everyone when they are on the beach. Holidaymakers will not see police in heavy armour, they will see lifeguards.”

The number of CRS police forces patrolling French resorts is down to 297 from the usual 460, possibly due to the pressure of patrolling other events such as the Euro 2016 football championship and the imminent Tour de France.