To safely welcome athletes to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games village, gendarmes meticulously inspected the buildings from top to bottom. Among them was Warrant Officer Zambito of the PSIG of Lot, who carried out reconnaissance operations of the site.
It felt strange walking through the Olympic village without encountering many people. Everything was brand new, the buildings and athletes’ accommodations were spotless. It felt like we were the last ones to see these places like this, before the excitement of the event, says Warrant Officer Alexandre Zambito, 35.
Upon his return from Paris, the deputy commander of the PSIG (Peloton de Surveillance et d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie) enthusiastically shared his experience. “I was mobilized for a week on reconnaissance and security missions in the Olympic village. We thoroughly searched the premises to secure the site before the arrival of the Olympic athletes. The objective was to ensure that nothing was stored or hidden in these buildings that might compromise the security of the Olympic Games.”
90 EOR gendarmes from all regions of France
90 EOR gendarmes from all regions of France. Waking up at 4:30 a.m. to be ready at 6:30 a.m., Warrant Officer Alexandre Zambito had no time for sightseeing. Neither he nor his colleagues, who made up a team of 10 people under a group leader, had time for sightseeing. “I joined this mission because I hold a military EOR certificate, which stands for Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance. Typically, we are called upon to conduct reconnaissance when munitions are discovered to secure the area, determine the nature of the device and report to the Civil Security deminers, facilitating their intervention.” Like Warrant Officer Alexandre Zambito, there are two other gendarmes within the Lot group who also have this specialized training.
The number 2 of the PSIG was called to Paris at the beginning of July for a week’s mission.
During his stay in Paris, 90 EOR gendarmes from all regions of France, divided into 9 groups under the responsibility of a mine-clearer–group leader, were mobilized at the beginning of July. “We worked as a team with excellent coordination from State services. During this period, other teams, including dog handlers, police officers, soldiers, even customs officers and prison guards, were working in parallel. Additionally, international cooperation was established with security support from Poland, Italy, Spain, England, etc. It was truly educational to learn regarding each other’s working methods.”
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“It’s impressive how big it is, it’s a city within a city”
“It’s impressive how big it is, it’s a city within a city” Floor by floor, room by room, they meticulously inspected everything. “Our inspection is obviously completed, which means that behind us, the building is closed, placed under security, and access is extremely limited and controlled by the organization and security of the Olympic Games. In one week, we inspected almost all the accommodation and catering facilities in the Olympic village. It’s impressive how big it is, it’s a city within a city”, says the gendarme from Lot.
90 EOR security specialists carried out an inspection of the Olympic Village.
Housed in a nearby gendarmerie barracks, Warrant Officer Alexandre Zambito, with 16 years of service under his belt, was able to meet up with some of his colleagues from Occitanie. “It was great to reconnect; we all felt like we were taking part in an extremely important event where cooperation played a major role,” he admits, though he is happy to have returned to Lot and his PSIG unit. “Here too, we work as a team. We are very close, and trust is a powerful thing. It’s thanks to this close-knit team and this collective mindset that we are able to intervene on sensitive security missions within the gendarmerie’s surveillance and intervention platoon,” he says, referring to the 11 PSIG gendarmes under the command of Major Olivier Cbiorczyk.
Paris 2024 Olympics: Gendarmes Secure the Olympic Village
The air buzzes with anticipation as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games draw nearer. To ensure the safety of the athletes who will soon fill the Olympic Village, gendarmes have been diligently inspecting the grounds from top to bottom. One such officer, Warrant Officer Alexandre Zambito, a member of the PSIG (Peloton de Surveillance et d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie) of Lot, shares his experience of conducting reconnaissance operations in the Olympic Village.
Zambito’s experience is a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes efforts to secure the Olympics. “It gives a strange feeling to walk through the Olympic Village without meeting many people,” he says, describing the empty but meticulously cleaned buildings and athlete accommodations. “You think you are the last to see these places like this, before the excitement of the event.”
Zambito, deployed for a week on reconnaissance and security missions, highlights the importance of thorough security checks. “We searched the premises to secure the site before the arrival of the Olympic athletes. The objective was to ensure that nothing was stored or hidden in these buildings that might compromise the security of the Olympic Games.”
90 EOR Gendarmes from Across France
Zambito, along with 89 other EOR (Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance) gendarmes from across France, made up a team of 10 individuals under the command of a group leader. Their mission began early every morning. “We were up at 4:30 a.m. to set up at 6:30 a.m.,” Zambito explains. He and his team were responsible for securing the Olympic Village, ensuring no threats remained undetected in the buildings.
Zambito’s EOR training proved invaluable for this mission. “Normally, we are called upon to carry out reconnaissance when munitions are discovered in order to secure the area, determine the nature of the device and report to the Civil Security deminers, with a view to their intervention,” he explains. With his expertise, he and two other gendarmes from the Lot group played a vital role in securing the vast Olympic Village.
The number 2 of the PSIG was called to Paris at the beginning of July for a week’s mission.
The 90 EOR gendarmes were divided into nine groups, each under the guidance of a mine-clearer group leader. They formed part of a larger security operation involving various branches of law enforcement and security agencies. “We worked as a team around a very good coordination of State services. During this period, there were other teams, in parallel, of dog handlers, police officers, soldiers, even customs officers and prison guards. In addition, international cooperation was set up with security support from Poland, Italy, Spain, England, etc. It is very educational to discover each other’s working methods,” Zambito remarks.
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Paris 2024 Olympics: How Tarbes’ parachute gunners will coordinate and ensure the security of Paris during the Games
“It’s a City Within a City”
Zambito describes the scale of the security operation as “impressive”. Teams painstakingly searched every corner of the Olympic Village, floor by floor, room by room. “Our inspection is obviously done at the moment, which means that behind us the building is closed, placed under security and access is extremely limited and controlled by the organization and security of the Olympic Games,” he explains. “In one week, we have inspected almost all the accommodation and catering facilities in the Olympic village. It’s impressive how big it is, it’s a city within a city.”
90 EOR security specialists carried out an inspection of the Olympic Village.
Despite the rigorous nature of their mission, Zambito found camaraderie among his fellow gendarmes. “It’s nice to meet up once more,” he acknowledges. “We all felt like we were taking part in an extremely important event where cooperation plays a major role.” Although the experience was positive, he’s pleased to be back in Lot with his PSIG unit. “Here too, we work with each other. We are very close and trust is something strong. It is thanks to this close-knit team and this collective state of mind that we are able to intervene on sensitive security missions within the gendarmerie’s surveillance and intervention platoon,” he says, referring to his 11 fellow PSIG gendarmes under the command of Major Olivier Cbiorczyk.
Warrant Officer Zambito’s experience sheds light on the dedication and hard work that go into ensuring the safety and security of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. His story illustrates the importance of meticulous preparation and the collaborative spirit of the security forces as they strive to provide a safe environment for both athletes and spectators.
