The UK Government has announced plans to double a specialist French riot police unit deployed against small-boat crossings in the English Channel, adding 50 officers to bring the unit to 100.
The additional Compagnies républicaines de sécurité (CRS) officers will patrol the northern French coastline and be available for periods when weather conditions make attempted crossings more likely. The Home Office says the reinforcements are intended to respond to people-smuggling networks launching boats from a wider stretch of coast.
Additional officers under existing UK–France agreement
The deployment is funded under the existing UK–France border security agreement, reported at £662 million. It is not a newly announced £662 million spending commitment. The extra officers are expected to be deployed until March 2027 and supplement other French policing resources already involved in preventing crossings.
The original 50-officer CRS unit was announced by the Home Office in June 2026, alongside another specialist unit. The latest announcement increases the CRS contingent to 100.
Government cites prevented crossing attempts
The Home Office says more than 50,000 attempted Channel crossings have been prevented since the July 2024 general election. This is an operational figure reported by the government, not a count of arrests or deportations, and it should not be confused with the number of people who have reached the UK.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said joint enforcement was affecting smuggling operations but that the government would continue pursuing the gangs organising dangerous journeys.
According to reporting of the latest Home Office figures, provisional small-boat arrivals in 2026 stood at 20,935 at the time of the announcement, below the equivalent point in 2025. Official Home Office small-boat data is provisional and subject to revision.
Why the reinforcement is being made
British and French authorities have increasingly sought to disrupt the supply of boats and engines, prevent launches and intercept so-called taxi boats. The National Crime Agency has assessed that enforcement activity, including French prevention efforts, has contributed to reduced small-boat activity.
The expansion is an announced deployment rather than evidence that all 50 additional officers are already operational. The latest deployment details were reported by The Independent citing the Home Office; earlier government publications confirm the original 50-officer unit and the framework of bilateral cooperation.
Sources
- The Independent: More French anti-riot police to patrol beaches (14 October 2026)
- Home Office: Specialist police units deployed under UK–France deal (17 June 2026)
- Home Office: Small boat activity in the English Channel, official statistics
- National Crime Agency: Law enforcement and small-boat reduction (September 2026)