MALAGASY NATIONAL POLICE

X. EVALUATION OF THE MALAGASY NATIONAL POLICE
A. Personnel :
1. This National Police organization, with a total force of 1,896
officers and men (1,913 in- the National Budget Book), appears upon close
scrutiny to be well above the average in performance, efficiency and
facilities as compared to similar-forces in the new African Republics
within the French area of influence.
2. Malagasy National .folice is just a new name for the French Silret6
organization which was turned over intact to the new Republic wben it
achieved its independence. As the Survey Team members have observed on
many occasions, in Tananarive as well 4s in the Provinces, the former
French Stret 6 officerb have merely moved to aq adjoining office, leav
ing theirs to the new Malag4sy officials. With the position went also
fringe benefits such as the furnished living quarters on the premises and
thi official car. In the case of higher government officials, the butler
and the mattre dthttel were transferred too. Seventy-eight French offi­
-cers hiav remained thus in the force as "Technical Assistants", The gen­
eral pterntis ihat seniorFtiih"-ffbeers are retained'in-an advisory
capacity whereas junior specialists are still in direct charge of key"
-technical bureaus such as Identification, Crime Laboratory and Communi­
cations.
3. As in most newly independent countries, there are differences of
opinion within the Malagasy Government as to how fast the former French
colonial officials should be replaced. The announced policy of the PSD
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