Chapter 54: The Whampoa Police Academy
On the academy's viewing platform, Joseph, clad in a crisp new blue and white Paris police uniform, smiled warmly at the instructors and cadets before him. He declared loudly, "First, I must congratulate you all! You are about to become glorious police officers of France!
"Yes, currently almost everyone despises, even scorns the police. But trust me, this era will end with you!
"The police of France will be a sacred profession, protecting the people, maintaining public order, and combating crime.
"From now on, you will be respected by all, praised, beloved. Young women will vie to marry you."
After boosting their morale, Joseph moved to the main point: "I am delighted to be your headmaster.
"Once your headmaster, always your headmaster!
"Remember this: no matter what difficulties you face, what adversities you encounter, your headmaster will stand firmly behind you, always supporting you!
"Even if one day you graduate from the Paris Police Academy, or even when you grow too old to continue as police officers, this school will forever be an eternal bond between me and you!"
The crowd below was stirred beyond measure. They felt that being accepted into the Paris Police Academy was a divine blessing. If not for strict discipline, someone would likely have already shouted, "Long live the Headmaster!"
All the instructors and cadets simultaneously saluted by raising their caps and responded loudly, "Yes, sir!"
Immediately after, Commissioner of Police Besançon stepped onto the stage and announced, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will now bestow appointments upon the newly promoted police commissioners of the Paris Police Bureau."
Immediately, more than a dozen individuals in police uniforms, led by Arden, came to the center of the viewing platform, standing proudly in a neat row.
Besançon had arranged this ceremony, and Joseph silently commended his subordinate for it.
While the positions had been decided beforehand, this ceremony served to remind everyone that their appointments came from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and they should never forget whom they served.
Joseph received the copper collar and cuff pins, engraved with a sword, from Besançon. These represented the rank of Second-Class Police Superintendent, and Joseph personally fastened them onto each of the newly appointed police commissioners.
Once the appointments were made, the academy instructors, along with police officers undergoing routine training, performed a drill for the Crown Prince, concluding the entire ceremony.
As the cadets dispersed in an orderly fashion, Joseph began his tour of the newly established police academy, accompanied by the Dean of Academics, Friant.
Other Police Bureau officials accompanied them.
Besançon deliberately fell back a few paces and winked at a square-faced police commissioner, who quickly approached him.
Besançon frowned and whispered, "Why haven't you acted on that matter yet?"
"Chief Commissioner," the square-faced officer quickly explained, "I was actually ready two days ago. But then one of the fellows from the 'Daily Affairs Squad' said he had an even better idea."
"Oh?"
The square-faced officer quickly recounted the plan, and Besançon immediately smiled. "Indeed, it's the kind of trick those fellows are best at. This method is quite good."
The square-faced officer also chuckled, "I thought so too. This way, we can deliver a harsh lesson to those damned banks without leaving any evidence, so I told them to go back and prepare again."
Besançon nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, get it done as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir!"
Joseph toured from the academy dormitories to the training grounds, silently shaking his head. The dorms were exceedingly crude, clearly repurposed dilapidated houses from the old slums. While the training ground was relatively flat, it was a wide-open expanse with nothing else, likely only suitable for drills and running.
This was understandable, of course, as construction had only begun barely a month ago.
'But this was his Whampoa... *cough*, his Paris Police Academy! How could it be so shabby? Especially now that he had some funds, it absolutely had to be built to the highest standards!'
Joseph first pointed at the dilapidated dorms and told Friant, "Replace all those with new buildings over there, capable of accommodating at least 2,000 people. Every room must have a fireplace, and the latrines must be fitted with flushing toilets."
Then he looked at the training grounds: "We need ample training equipment: climbing frames, rope ladders, obstacle courses, sand pits, mud pits — we can't just practice drills..."
Upon reaching the police academy's armory, Joseph's frown deepened. "Why are there only riot control forks, swords, and spears? Where are the firearms?"
Friant looked somewhat aggrieved. "Your Highness, didn't you restore order in the Saint-Antoine district using just these back then...?"
Joseph sighed. "I simply had no choice back then. With rigorous training, firearms are definitely superior!
"Make a note: procure 500 firearms first, new models produced by Charleville.
"Stock up on plenty of gunpowder and lead shot. From now on, everyone will conduct live-fire practice 10 times every three days. The elite class will practice at least 8 times daily."
Friant nodded in astonishment. 'The entire academy currently only has just over 200 cadets, and you're preparing 500 firearms... And this volume of live-fire practice already far exceeds even the elite legions of the Royal Guard.'
Joseph, however, was clearly not yet satisfied. He continued, "Also, buy some warhorses — let's start with 50 — and hire grooms. Everyone in the elite class must learn to ride, and those with talent can be taught mounted combat and cavalry charges."
Friant was numb. 'Alright, Your Highness, buy whatever you wish. But 50 warhorses alone would cost over 300,000 livres.'
After touring the entire academy, Joseph clicked his tongue, still feeling somewhat unsatisfied, and shook his head slightly. "The area is a bit small."
Friant was about to say that the academy had over 13 hectares of land, which should be sufficient for any training, but then he heard the Crown Prince mutter softly, 'Even with reduced gunpowder, a single cannon shot would still reach the city.'
This time, not just Friant, but all the police officials who heard this felt their hearts seize up. From the sound of it, His Highness intended for the police to practice using cannons?!
Joseph pondered for a moment, then instructed Friant, "See if there's a larger plot of open land around Paris that we can purchase.
"We'll build things like barracks and anti-cavalry defenses there. I'll acquire some cannons later... By the way, does anyone here know how to operate artillery?"
Friant and the others exchanged glances, then all shook their heads.
Joseph said, "Fortunately, Dubois is an artillery officer; we can have him teach. Well, for the initial stages, this should suffice..."
Louvre District, Paris.
Laville Bank's largest branch in Paris.
A group of men, dressed in blue and white police uniforms but with mischievous grins on their faces, swaggered in, carrying riot control forks, shields, and other gear.
A bank clerk, his face wreathed in smiles, hurried over. "Officer, how may I assist you?"
"We don't need anything; your bank needs us," a plump officer boomed, his voice rough. "We've received intelligence that a gang of robbers is planning to hit this place today!"
The moment he finished speaking, customers inside the bank, whether depositing money or conducting exchanges, instantly became like a bird startled by the twang of a bow, hastily dropping what they were doing and fleeing the bank without a backward glance.
The plump officer winked at his subordinates. "Go, guard the entrance well! Every person who enters must be thoroughly checked. Not a single robber must slip past!"
"Yes, sir!"
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