French police unions outraged over lunchtime alcohol ban

France's police unions have expressed outrage over an official decree that suggested Compagnies R ufffdpublicaines de S ufffdcurit ufffd, or CRS officers, would no longer be served wine or beer with their meals.

As of now, it has been a tradition to serve a glass of wine or beer to these officers, even while on duty, The Guardian reports.u00a0

However, authorities were angered by pictures published on the website in October last year, which showed police drinking beer from cans on the sidelines of a sixth-formers'' street-protest against pension reforms in Perreux-sur-Marne, north of Paris.

The website claimed these uniformed officers telling locals that it was very dangerous to go outside during the high-school demo before stopping for beer on a street.

Paul Le Guennec, of the biggest riot police union, Unit ufffd Police SGP-FO, said the French public were not shocked at the notion of a CRS officer drinking at lunch.

"Does the fact that having a glass of wine while eating prevent any kind of worker from carrying out their job? I don't think the chief of police drinks water when he's having a meal," Le Guennec told the paper Le JDD.

The Union insisted that having a small drink with wine is not against the French labour law.