DGSN Services Report for 2023

This report highlights the modernization of security services and structures, the efforts to strengthen the security feeling and the fight against crime, as well as the mechanisms for rational management of the police officer’s professional career in order to guarantee an integrated working environment and allow her/him to optimally carry out her/his duties. It also presents the projects related to security and public order for next year.

In line with this communication channel, DGSN presents the 2023 report according to the following main points:

First: New police structures to diversify the security offer

In order to strengthen community policing structures and promote services’ adaptation to the expansion of new urban centers, the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN) created 13 new security structures in 2023.

These are: the 5th district of the Rabat police prefecture, the Ryad police district, the 24th police district at the Marrakech police prefecture, as well as the creation of the mobile emergency police unit at the Kenitra police prefecture, two police dog brigades in Kenitra and Larache, and a mobile policing unit in Settat.

The creation of these 13 new security structures aims to strengthen the structures assigned to community policing and to ensure services’ adaptation to urban expansion.

This also concerns the Rabat police prefecture, with the creation of the 5th police district and the Ryad police district, as well as the creation of 24 police districts within the Marrakech police prefecture. This brings the overall number of police districts throughout the kingdom to 454, covering all urban areas under DGSN services.

DGSN continued the generalization of emergency police units, operating under the supervision of the command and coordination rooms.

This year, the inauguration of the permanent mobile emergency police unit at the Kenitra police prefecture, marked a significant step forward. Made up of mobile teams of bikers and emergency vehicles, this unit responds effectively to citizens’ calls for help, ensuring rapid intervention. These vehicles are constantly checked and monitored by the relevant services at central and regional levels.

During this year, the command and coordination rooms handled a total of 19,722,041 emergency calls via telephone line 19, resulting in 867,042 interventions on public roads. Police emergency mobile units carried out 448,256 interventions on public roads.

In addition to emergency calls, citizens requested information, while some calls were negative.

In the same context, the uniformed brigades carried out 494 patrols on public roads, thus totaling 529,164 ground interventions, ranging from arresting people involved in criminal cases to reporting driving offenses, including law enforcement.

DGSN also inaugurated citizen reception areas, in partnership with the ministry in charge of Digital Transition and Administration Reform as well as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

These areas were initially set up at the identity data registration center of the Temara provincial police district, at the foreigners’ section of the Prefectural Department of the General Intelligence at the Casablanca police prefecture, and at the 5th police arrondissement of the Mehdia-Kenitra district, pending a future generalization of this experience on a national scale.

These reception areas for Moroccan citizens and foreigners stand out for their facilities reconciling an aesthetic aspect of the interior architecture and an exemplary reception and orientation environment with the presence of male and female police officers, well qualified to guide users of this public service.

Equipped with an integrated information system thanks to computers connected to specialized systems and interconnected with scanning devices such as optical scanners and digital readers of fingerprints, cards and identity data, these centers aim to promote police services by considerably reducing the time required to receive and process user requests.

2023 was marked by strengthening territorial units with new teams, thanks in particular to the creation of two police dog brigades in the police prefecture of Kenitra and the provincial district of Larache, as well as a mobile law enforcement unit in Settat, in addition to three services specialized in road accidents in the police districts of Benguerir and Tangier-Beni Makada and another at the regional police station of Ait Melloul.

A new identity data registration center was also inaugurated in the Driouch district.

As part of improving security governance and modernizing the public police service, construction works on the new headquarters of the General Directorate of National Security are still underway over an area of 20 hectares in the Ryad district in Rabat.

It is an integrated administrative complex bringing together all central security departments in one place. Works in its various basic facilities reached a completion rate of 90%, in accordance with the work plans established to meet deadlines.

2023 was also marked by the launch of construction projects for seven new security buildings, including the Regional Security District in Fkih Ben Saleh, as well as the headquarters of police districts and road accident and health services at the Tangier police prefecture.

In addition, three police districts were created in Casablanca, Khenifra and Mohammedia. There was also an operation to re-equip and rehabilitate the headquarters of three police districts at the Casablanca police prefecture, three districts at the Fez prefecture, the headquarters of the Bouznika police station, and the mobile law enforcement brigade at the Fez police prefecture and a police district in Benslimane.

Furthermore, this year was marked by the launch of the complete deployment process of the new visual identity aimed at distinguishing the fleet of security vehicles from other vehicles and cars.

Thus, 549 intervention vehicles were equipped with this visual identity. At the same time, the modernization of DGSN vehicle fleet continued with the acquisition and delivery of 2,132 new vehicles for the various regional and central DGSN directorates. These vehicles are equipped to meet the professional needs of different police units and brigades nationwide.

Second: IT system: complementary digital platforms serving citizens and police s officers

1- Electronic identity documents: on the path to digital transition

In 2023, DGSN further reinforced the digital infrastructure of administrative services provided to citizens and foreign nationals residing in Morocco, including identity documents, residence permits and administrative certificates.

The process of opening up to various public and private service providers was also strengthened, through the conclusion of partnerships and agreements aimed at generalizing the use of the “Trusted Third Party” platform for identity verification linked to the “Digital Identity” space, which was developed by DGSN.

The “Trusted Third Party” platform is an information mechanism that allows citizens to securely access the various services provided by public and private sectors, in a way that protects their personal data, as it allows the holder of the national electronic identity card to identify oneself and verify one’s identity and its use in the various administrative and banking operations instantly, automatically and securely with service providers, whether in physical presence using the card equipped with an electronic chip, or online using the “Digital Identity” system.

To consolidate this system developed by DGSN services and made available to citizens and banking institutions, DGSN services launched, during the year, the “Mon identité numérique” (My digital identity) application, downloadable on the most used mobile operating systems, and which allows citizens to create, monitor and exploit their identity within the digital space in a secure and personal way, based on the data contained in the national electronic identity card (CNIE).

This application was also reinforced through the launch of the interactive digital portal “www.identitenumerique.ma”, which allows citizens to benefit from digital identity services without having to download the application on mobile phones.

This year was also marked by strengthening the participatory process of public services’ simplification. Thus, DGSN shared the experiences it has accumulated in the management of identification data and their use in the digital space through the signing of new agreements with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the Supervisory Authority of Insurance and Social Welfare (ACAPS), the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, the National Fund of Social Welfare Organizations, on the use of the “Trusted Third Party” platform in order to verify digital identity in public and private services provided to citizens. Moreover, DGSN signed a memorandum of understanding with the Court of Auditors to facilitate the action of financial courts, in addition to several memorandums of understanding with numerous private companies and service providers nationally, which in turn aim to benefit from this new digital service.

2023 was also marked by the continued implementation of the strategy of bringing together and generalizing CNIE services for all citizens, through the creation of 32 mobile units for the issuance and renewal of the electronic national identity card. These are vehicles equipped with two platforms to record citizen identification data for the population living in geographically remote regions and mountainous rural areas. The overall number of beneficiaries of this mobile service reached 128,451 people.

This year also observed a sustained and prompt response to citizens’ requests for electronic and administrative identification documents, along with residence permits for foreigners. A cumulative total of 4,269,781 new-generation electronic national identity cards were issued. Among these, 3,077,398 were generated at the Rabat issuance center, while 1,192,383 were produced at the supplementary issuance center in Marrakech as part of the proximity policy with citizens.

Furthermore, a total of 348,070 electronic national identity cards were issued for members of the Moroccan community residing abroad, with 45,739 allocated to minor children. This also encompasses the issuance of 1,552,306 anthropometric sheets, 43,807 residence permits for foreigners, 20,031 entry visas to the national territory, and 2,246 exceptional new-generation residence permits.

2. Digital Space: Next-Generation Services

In the year 2023, the technical services of the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) have significantly propelled the digitization of public safety services, thereby markedly enhancing security performance. This strategic initiative encompasses the nationwide deployment of a unified police telecommunications network—an exceptionally secure infrastructure comprising optical fibers that interconnect 57 cities across the country. This network ensures secure telecommunications and expeditious data transfer, specifically tailored to meet the operational requirements of security service management.

The development of this network has attained an advanced stage, encompassing 19 centers nationwide. Furthermore, the technical services of the DGSN have devoted efforts to the creation of various applications and information technology solutions, empowering police officers to execute their missions with increased efficiency. This endeavor includes the finalization of the deployment of the Police District Management Information System (GESTARR) and the integration of additional services, notably linking it to the new information system managing criminal cases for police districts. Currently, this system is undergoing experimental use in 350 police stations within the police prefectures of Kenitra, Tangier, Meknes, Marrakech, Settat, and the provincial security of Safi.

To boost the efficacy of security interventions on public roads and fortify control mechanisms for police patrols, a geographic location system utilizing the Global Positioning System (GPS) is being adopted. This is achieved through the installation of GPS devices on 800 police vehicles and motorcycles, automatically synchronized with the Security Intervention Information System. This initiative aims to enhance the speed of response to citizens’ calls as part of the ongoing and gradual implementation of this mechanism in the near future.

As part of a strategic plan to incorporate artificial intelligence techniques in policing, the DGSN has introduced a new technological system focused on leveraging urban surveillance camera networks and mobile cameras of DGSN to automatically read vehicle license plates on urban roads. Currently, this process is undergoing experimental implementation in the police prefectures of Casablanca and Agadir.

In the current year, 228 reported stolen cars and vehicles were intercepted, along with 585 vehicles whose owners were subjects of national search notices due to suspicions of involvement in criminal activities.

The technical services of the DGSN are actively engaged in the development of new software that utilizes artificial intelligence to identify individuals and ascertain the identity of those subject to search notices. This experimental technique has demonstrated significant effectiveness in monitoring and neutralizing individuals posing serious threats to the safety of citizens and their property.

In a commitment to harness modern communication technologies for the welfare of citizens, the DGSN has initiated the utilization of social network Facebook for publishing and disseminating search notices for missing children sought by their families. This is facilitated through Tifli Moukhtafi, a newly developed software connected to police districts nationwide. This system has streamlined the publication of a total of 222 circulars nationwide, expediting the search for missing children.

Third: Combating Crime and Enhancing the Sense of Security

In the year 2023, a concerted effort was made to bolster training in the field of human rights for personnel within the criminal justice system and active personnel engaged in judicial policing, as well as individuals operating at the level of custody facilities and police custody premises and mechanisms for caring for women and minors who are victims of violence, in in collaboration with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Royal Gendarmerie Command.

This effort has enhanced the skills of officers from the various judicial police services nationwide, who have adopted modern research techniques and become familiar with best practices in the field of criminal investigations.

These security efforts and these institutional partnerships have notably influenced the outcomes of operations against criminal activities, thereby contributing to an augmented sense of security.

1. Crime Prevention: Decline in Crime Indicators and Rise in Repression Rates

Throughout the current year, the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) has diligently executed the provisions outlined in the crime-fighting strategy for the 2022-2026 period. This comprehensive strategy involved fortifying anti-delinquency structures, advancing forensic science and technical police laboratories, intensifying the utilization of contemporary methodologies in criminal investigations, and integrating a human rights perspective into police functions. This emphasis extended to custody procedures, surveillance within detention centers, and fostering coordination with the General Directorate of National Territory Surveillance in addressing intricate issues.

This integrated approach yielded significant results, exemplified by a noteworthy 10% reduction in the overall crime landscape, encompassing the number of cases and recorded incidents, which totaled 738,748 cases for the year. Consequently, 723,874 individuals were apprehended and referred to various public prosecutors.

Indicators of violent crime also experienced declines, with murders and homicides decreasing by 25%, sexual assaults by 4%, car thefts by approximately 19%, qualified thefts by 9%, and violent thefts by 6%.

In tandem with the reduction in crime indicators, the repression rate—the rate of resolving committed crimes—persisted at historically high levels for the seventh consecutive year, standing at 95% of the total recorded cases and approximately 92% of violent crimes.

These achievements were primarily realized through the advancement of criminal investigation tools, the pivotal role of forensic science and technology, and the prompt reporting of crimes by victims and witnesses. Additionally, stringent measures against false accusations and misinformation disseminated on social networks significantly contributed to mitigating crime indicators associated with “shadow crimes” or unreported offenses and penalizing their perpetrators.

In the field of drug-related cases, 2023 witnessed heightened collaboration between the National Security and National Territory Surveillance services in criminal intelligence and border control. Coordination at border posts led to the registration and processing of 99,513 cases, resulting in the arrest of 130,212 individuals, including 305 foreigners. Notably, hashish seizures amounted to 81,175 metric tons, reflecting a 17% decrease. Furthermore, 1,922 metric tons of cocaine, 6.88 kg of heroin, and 1,223,774 ecstasy tablets and other psychotropic substances were seized.

The year 2023 was marked by the implementation of an action plan targeting the production and trafficking of the synthetic drug known as “L’pufa.” This concerted effort involved elements from the Special Force of the General Directorate of National Territory Surveillance, the research and intervention team of the National Police Judicial Brigade, and all DGSN decentralized services. The result was the disruption of the trafficking network, leading to the arrest of 575 individuals involved in this illicit trade and the seizure of 5,175 kg of this synthetic drug.

Cases related to modern technologies and cyber extortion recorded a 6% increase, with nearly 5,969 cases. The number of international warrants issued rose to 842, compared to 752 in the previous year, resulting in the arrest and referral to justice of 874 individuals.

In sextortion cases, DGSN services recorded 508 incidents during the year, an 18% increase compared to the previous year. A total of 182 individuals involved in these criminal acts, targeting 515 victims, including 109 foreigners, were arrested.

Addressing illegal immigration, efforts led to the prevention of 28,863 attempts of irregular immigration, including 18,820 of various foreign nationalities. This involved dismantling 121 criminal networks and the apprehension of 594 organizers and intermediaries. In this context, 707 forged travel and identity documents related to these cases were seized, along with 215 boats and 31 vehicles used in organizing immigration operations.

Regarding financial and economic crimes, the DGSN services continued to enhance criminal investigation techniques. This occurred at the level of the National Police Judicial Brigade and its regional brigades in Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, and Marrakech.

These brigades handled 529 cases related to corruption, embezzlement of trust, misappropriation of public funds, and extortion—an increase of nearly 14% compared to the previous year. The number of suspects investigated in these cases reached 693 individuals, including 322 in corruption and trust abuse cases, 259 suspects in embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds cases, and 112 in extortion and abuse of power cases.

Concerning counterfeiting, fraudulent use of means of payment, and currency trafficking, DGSN services processed 38 cases related to currency trafficking, 57,980 cases of offenses against the legislation governing checks—a decrease of nearly 1.5%—153 cases of fraud and fraud involving means of payment, and 151 cases of counterfeiting currency and foreign exchange.

This type of cases led to seizing 481 counterfeit national banknotes and 1,489 counterfeit foreign banknotes for a total amount of 95,800 US dollars, 74,820 euros and 340 pounds sterling, in addition to dismantling 19 criminal networks active in counterfeiting currencies, means of payment and credit cards. Some 181 people of different nationalities were brought to justice and 34 pieces of equipment and electronic media used in piracy, counterfeiting and fraudulent payment were seized.

In the fight against terrorism, extremism and the glorification of terrorist acts, the National Brigade of Judicial Police referred 29 people suspected of involvement in such cases to the competent public prosecutor’s office this year, in addition to the terrorist cells dismantled by the Central Bureau of Criminal Investigation under the General Directorate for National Territorial Surveillance, including the terrorist cell involved in the murder of a police officer in Errahma neighborhood in Casablanca.

2- Scientific and Technical Police Assessment Report

In 2023, the various branches of the Scientific and Technical Police Laboratory in Casablanca maintained their ISO 17025 quality certification for the sixth year running. This had a positive impact on the quality of scientific expertise carried out, as well as on the increase in the number of criminal cases brought to trial, and contributed to consolidating fair trial mechanisms by relying on scientific evidence in criminal investigations.

The technical services of DGSN Institute of Forensic Sciences carried out 714 forensic examinations on forged documents, an increase of 9%, 137 forensic examinations on counterfeit foreign and domestic banknotes and 264 ballistic examinations on 149 firearms and 7,889 munitions and projectiles, a rise of 31% on the previous year.

The central service and regional digital trace analysis laboratories recorded a total of 6,249 requests for expertise, which were carried out on 24,266 electronic media, recording an increase of 12% on the previous year, the press release specified, adding that the national forensic and technical police laboratory in Casablanca received 20,129 requests for expertise during the current year, including 16,635 requests for DNA sample analysis, an increase of around 23% on the previous year, and 1,391 requests for expertise in the field of forensic chemistry (+22%). The Department of Drugs and Forensic Poisons carried out the necessary scientific expertise on 2,061 cases relating to drugs and psychotropic substances, an increase of 14%.

3- Promoting Security Cooperation Partnerships

The current year was marked by the continuation of the process of strengthening and intensifying international security cooperation operations with various international partners, including government agencies and organizations in charge of security affairs and law enforcement, a cooperation which focused mainly on operational coordination and technical assistance with friendly and partner countries.

This fruitful cooperation was crowned by the unanimous approval of choosing the Kingdom of Morocco to host, in 2025, the 93rd session of the General Assembly of the General Criminal Police Organization “Interpol”, which brings together the chiefs and representatives of the security services of 196 member states, in addition to organizing, on December 6-7, 2023, the 47th Conference of Arab Police and Security Chiefs.

The year was also marked by the consolidation of bilateral and multilateral security cooperation, as the General Directorate for National Security took part in high-level meetings held within the framework of Interpol and the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers and the African Union.

Bilateral meetings on issues related to strengthening international security were also held, notably with the President of the International Criminal Police Organization, the Director of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Director General of the French police and Belgium’s Acting Director General of Security, the Vice-President of the Saudi Arabian Security Service, the Secretary General of the Information System of the Portuguese Republic (SIRP) and the Director General of the Portuguese Intelligence Service (SIS), as well as the President of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Director General of the State Protection and Intelligence Services of the Republic of Austria.

On the numeric indicators of this cooperation, the International Cooperation Division under the General Directorate of National Security processed 6,473 files and requests for information, an increase of 12% on 2022. Of these, drug-related cases accounted for 13%, followed by the fight against illegal immigration (15%), exchange and transfer of prisoners to serve the remainder of their sentences in their countries of origin (9%), mutual exploitation of databases (6%) and information request notices (26%).

As for operational cooperation, the National Central Bureau (Interpol Rabat) monitored the execution of 119 international letters rogatory issued by foreign authorities, and disclosed 121 international arrest warrants, which led to the arrest of 92 people subject to international wanted notices issued by Moroccan judicial authorities.

The same Bureau published 3280 nationwide wanted notices following arrest warrants issued by competent authorities in foreign countries. It also issued 245 search notices issued by police services in Arab countries, while 2006 warrants to terminate international searches and 342 warrants to terminate Arab search notices were issued.

With regard to the extradition of criminals, a total of 54 individuals were subject to international arrest warrants issued by Moroccan authorities in 2023, compared with 69 people in 2022. Furthermore, a total of 48 foreign nationals were arrested in Morocco after being subject of extradition warrants to the judicial authorities of the countries that requested them.

4- Road safety indicators

In 2023, there were 85,475 physical traffic accidents in urban areas, compared with 80,091 in 2022; an increase of 7%.

This had a direct impact on the total number of traffic accident victims, who suffered 993 fatalities in 2023, compared with 834 in 2022, in addition to 4,413 serious injuries and 111,478 minor injuries.

With regard to traffic enforcement measures, a total of 374,446 official reports of traffic offences were issued in 2023, compared with 372,086 in 2022; an increase of around 1%.

The number of fines imposed during the current year fell slightly by 8.5%, from 1,728,209 last year to 1,711,208 in 2023.

In the same context, DGSN continued to strengthen its institutional partnership with the National Road Safety Agency (NARSA), implementing a series of strategic programs to prevent and raise awareness of traffic accidents.

This institutional partnership has made it possible to provide the mobile traffic brigades with logistical and roadside control equipment, with the delivery, during the current year, of 120 large- and medium-cylinder motorcycles, in addition to finalizing and generalizing an updated version of the Roadside Control Guide for police officers and civil servants. It aims to guarantee systematic training and correct application of road safety provisions.

A new approach to training in road-user behavior was also discussed, encompassing a comprehensive list of best practices for dealing with citizens on the public highway, whether pedestrians or motorists and their escorts.

Fourth: Supporting Major National and International Events, Enshrining the Moroccan Security Model

1- Backing Public Relief Effort to Rescue Al Haouz Earthquake Victims

Pursuant to the High Royal Instructions, and from the very first hours following the Al Haouz earthquake which shook several regions of the High Atlas, the DGSN worked to activate the special risk management mobilization system, and mobilized all its human and logistical resources to contribute to the public effort to bring relief and assistance to victims, guarantee the safety of their property and preserve public order.

To this end, the mobile law enforcement teams were mobilized and made available to the prefectures of Marrakech and Agadir. All the specialized search and rescue teams capable of contributing to the efforts to save people affected by this natural disaster were also mobilized.

The interventions of DGSN services consisted in guaranteeing the safety of goods and people in the regions under their jurisdiction, and providing support to the other public forces in the disaster-stricken rural areas. Integrated arrangements had been put in place to protect people and goods in the temporary reception sites and facilitate the delivery of first aid.

Mobile law enforcement teams also made an effective contribution to clearing rubble and recovering the injured and the remains of victims, while ensuring their transfer to hospitals in major cities such as Marrakech, Agadir, Taroudant and Beni-Mellal.

DGSN also provided support for the voluntary and spontaneous initiatives of police officers who mobilized to donate blood for earthquake victims. Some 11,559 police officers nationwide took part in this humanitarian operation, making an effective contribution to replenishing the national blood supply.

In the same spirit of solidarity, the DGSN dispatched two mobile bakeries to the Tahanaout region on the outskirts of Marrakech to help supply the inhabitants and disaster victims with bread and the necessary means of subsistence.

The mobile bread preparation and baking units are easy to transport by truck. They consist of high-capacity electric dough machines, ovens and equipment for preparing bread all day long. These units are usually made available to mobile law enforcement units.

To assist affected populations, in particular those who had lost their identity documents, DGSN launched a local campaign, during which all identity data registration centers and mobile units were mobilized to produce and renew electronic national identity cards free of charge for the benefit of residents of the affected regions in Agadir, Taroudant, Marrakech and Beni-Mellal and their surrounding areas. A total of 11,048 identity documents were issued.

In addition to this intense action on the ground, the Pole of the General Directorate of National Security and the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance contributed 50 million dirhams to the Special Fund for management effects of the earthquake. Added to this contribution is a million dirhams from the Mohammed VI Foundation for the social works of DGSN officials.

For its part, the Fraternal Mutual Aid and Orphanages for DGSN Staff allocated one million dirhams, as well as large shipments of clothing and shoes, to these solidarity initiatives linked to managing the earthquake effects.

2- Organizing Major Events:

For 2023, DGSN has put in place a strategic vision to accumulate and reinforce expertise in securing major events. This orientation has supported Morocco’s hosting of a series of regional, continental and international events.

During these events, the security services were omnipresent and efficient through the activation of security and organization protocols. These protocols were decisive in the success of these events, contributing to Morocco’s reputation as a trusted partner for hosting world-class events.

This Moroccan model was based on the implementation of integrated security plans, based on proactive field and operational studies of the security needs of each event, before mobilizing all the specialized police teams and units, distributing tasks between them and ensuring their supervision, while equipping them with the appropriate means of intervention and logistical equipment.

These teams and units were then deployed in coordination with local security officials, while liaison between them was ensured by a unified management and supervisory system characterized by coordination and the ability to manage operations in the field in accordance with stringent professional and organizational controls.

On an operational level, DGSN Services provided security for 1,016 sporting events in 2023, including 910 national events in various individual and team sports, as well as 106 international sporting events, including the Club World Cup, the African Under-23 Cup, the African Women’s Cup and matches for the national football team.

All these events involved the mobilization of thousands of police officers, both men and women, from law enforcement units, as well as dozens of members of mounted police teams, police dog teams and anti-gang brigades, in addition to teams specializing in logistical and technical support.

In the same vein, DGSN services provided security for major global events organized by the Kingdom in 2023, including the annual meetings of the World Bank Group (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), attended by over 14,000 people. More than 6,500 police men and women were mobilized for the event.

These services also provided security for other major events, such as the Marrakech International Film Festival and the 47th Annual Conference of Arab Security and Police Leaders, held in Tangier.

Fifth: Managing the working lives of police officers

1- Police officers’ recruitment and training: a path to professional skills

The current number of DGSN officers is 79,830, with a median age of around 40. The year 2023 was marked by the implementation of a series of programs and projects linked to the management of the professional lives of police personnel, beginning with the continued implementation of the provisions of the new police recruitment and training charter.

This year, six (06) open entrance exams were organized to hire 6,637 civil servants, including 30 senior commissioners, 130 police commissioners, 250 police officers, 50 peace officers, 2,050 police inspectors, and 4,127 peacekeepers.

Candidates applied for these vacancies via the electronic portal available to the public on the Internet. These vacancies were widely advertised on television, in modern communication media, and in several national newspapers to ensure equal opportunities for all candidates and make the announcement available to all male and female applicants.

In parallel with the new features introduced into the recruitment system and competitive examinations, to enhance the quality of human resources, new training programs were adopted. These combine theoretical courses with practical exercises within the various police teams and units.

In addition, police trainees took part in seminars and professional meetings initiated within the framework of continuing education and institutional partnerships.

Similarly, the number of hours of training in the various forensic specialties has increased.

Training programs and materials have also been updated and modernized, with a focus on distance learning, to enable instant transfer and broadcast of training sessions to all Royal Police Academies.

Over the course of the year, 12,846 police officers benefited from professional training programs, with 52% of them attending basic training sessions for new recruits to DGSN, while 21% benefited from continuous training sessions, and around 12% attended specialized training courses in various police fields, including the fight against illegal immigration, terrorism, mine clearance, forensics, and the management of new IT applications. Other training courses included K-9 dog training and handling, equestrian police, vehicle driving, and police intervention mechanisms.

Some 216 training sessions were carried out both inside and outside Morocco, within the framework of international security cooperation relations, for the benefit of 2,198 police officers.

The year was also marked by the continued implementation of bilateral South-South and Arab cooperation programs. In fact, police training and qualification programs were set up for the benefit of several police services in sister African and Arab countries. These include the training of police officers from such countries as Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates, who have undergone advanced practical and theoretical training in public security, criminal investigation, forensics, and technical science, along with the integration of human rights principles into police functions. As a result, the number of foreign executives trained in Morocco has risen to 454 police officers of various grades and echelons.

DGSN also offered practical and theoretical experience to Libyan security executives to inform them about the training system at the Royal Police Institute and the latest developments in police curricula.

With respect to the development of infrastructure and police training academies, the DGSN has rehabilitated and developed the Ifrane police academy with a view to setting up an international police training institute for Moroccan security executives and their African counterparts. In addition, efforts are continuing to create new police training hubs, represented by police academies in Casablanca and Marrakech, as part of the implementation of the DGSN plan to guarantee specialization, improve the quality of training, and bring training schools closer to trainees. Recent years have also seen the creation of similar regional academies in Fez, Oujda, Tangier, and Laâyoune.

As part of a strategic vision aimed at strengthening the police function and supporting the human rights dimension in the police training program, the DGSN and the Mohammed V University in Rabat signed a framework partnership and institutional cooperation agreement in June 2023 in the area of training and consolidating respect for human rights in the security profession, with a view to strengthening cooperation in the fields of training, including basic, continuous, and specialized training, as well as consolidating our country’s accumulated experience in the field of implementing and protecting human rights principles. Likewise, the aim is to work together to promote a culture of human rights in police training programs by setting them up as a reference and guide for the missions of DGSN officials in charge of implementing the law.

Furthermore, in line with the partnership established in 2022 between the DGSN and the National Council for Human Rights, 2023 was marked by several training sessions on adopting human rights standards within the police work system.

These sessions benefited a number of police officers, who attended both theoretical courses and practical exercises in the field of civil liberties and human rights standards when interacting with people in police custody.

Another highlight of the year was the creation of favorable conditions for the national mechanism for the prevention of torture to carry out inspection visits and exercise its functions in police custody facilities on DGSN premises.

As part of its support for specialized and technical training, the DGSN has organized meetings and seminars in partnership with Morocco’s Judicial Agency and the Supreme Council of the Judiciary. The aim was to enhance the skills of security executives in managing the judicial aspects of administrative disputes and implementing the principles and mechanisms of legal and judicial protection for police officers who have been victims of physical or verbal aggression or contempt while performing their duties.

2- Motivation and discipline: mechanisms for good governance

In 2023, DGSN took steps to boost employee motivation through an integrated approach that puts officers at the forefront of police management.

This approach consists, on the one hand, in setting up multiple mechanisms for motivation and professional support, and on the other, in creating a healthy working environment offering every guarantee of functional safety.

To this end, this year saw the announcement of annual promotions for the 2022 budget year, as well as an exceptional promotion to commemorate the 24th anniversary of Throne Day.

A total of 19,818 police officers in various ranks benefited from these promotions, representing an exceptional rate of nearly 80% of the total number of civil servants on the lists of candidates eligible for promotion, in accordance with the provisions of the DGSN civil servant status.

DGSN has maintained the “annual regularity” of the promotion process, as the Promotion Commission has completed its assessment of the files of 11,480 civil servants on the promotion lists for 2022. The DGSN has also paid particular attention to civil servants in lower and intermediate grades to benefit from functional promotion, one of the most important incentives.

DGSN also handed out 14 letters of congratulations and recognition to civil servants who had demonstrated a high level of professionalism in the performance of their duties. Similarly, it continued to implement the plan to bring civil servants closer to their family and community environment by granting 2,782 requests for transfer, 1,264 of which were processed under the emergency procedure for social, health, or family reunification reasons.

Hearings were also granted to 1,082 civil servants who submitted requests for hearings under the “Requests for Hearings” scheme, which is guaranteed to all civil servants.

Similarly, 2,193 civil servants benefited from the right to defense and support as part of the consecration of the principle of “protection of the state” guaranteed by law to security personnel following physical and verbal assaults to which they were exposed during the performance of their duties.

In keeping with this principle, DGSN organized a training session this year, in partnership with the Kingdom’s Judicial Agency, to shed light on the conditions and mechanisms required to benefit from the right to assistance and to review best practices for following up on these cases before the relevant jurisdictions to guarantee the protection of civil servants and enshrine the principle of the primacy of the rule of law.

With a view to ensuring professional fairness, this year the DGSN worked on strengthening the mechanisms for handling administrative grievances through the Central Grievances Commission created in December 2018 and tasked with examining grievances and requests for professional clemency, making recommendations, and making observations aimed at reconciling the interests of the civil servant and the public service.

Over the course of the year, this commission received a total of 363 administrative grievances and issued 157 recommendations for the revision or cancellation of 12% of disciplinary measures taken and the approval of 86% of sanctions and measures decided upon.

Regarding moralization, the correctional mechanism aimed at sanctioning professional misconduct of police officers, whether during the exercise of their duties or those linked to their quality in the event of infringement of the obligation of discretion, integrity and probity, processed 8,283 administrative files in 2023 and issued 2,151 disciplinary sanctions, including 237 suspension decisions, and 5,502 disciplinary measures through written warnings and requalifications.

In addition, the inspection commissions under DGSN carried out 520 administrative investigations in 2023, including 147 opened on the basis of denunciations which were handled with the required rigor. These investigations concerned 1,651 civil servants.

These investigations were marked by in-depth investigations into all the alleged dysfunctions attributed to DGSN services and agents, as well as by surveillance and audit operations of various aspects of police work.

A total of 14 investigations concluded to the existence of elements constituting acts contrary to criminal law, and were submitted to the Judicial Police for notification to the competent public prosecutor’s offices and the opening of judicial inquiries.

Social Protection and Health Coverage for DGSN Family:

In terms of social support for serving and retired police officers and their dependents, the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Social Works of National Security Civil Servants provided direct assistance in the form of financial and in-kind subsidies to its members, benefiting 1,084 members who had suffered serious injury in the course of their duties, or who were suffering from serious illnesses, and whose cases were processed under the emergency procedure.

Direct financial support and vouchers were also granted to 4,054 widows and 289 retired police officers from DGSN family, who receive a limited monthly pension.

On the spiritual front, 2023 was marked by increasing the number of pilgrimage beneficiaries. Pilgrimage costs were covered on behalf of 295 beneficiaries from DGSN and territorial surveillance corps, including 168 people who benefited from full coverage of pilgrimage costs, while 127 others received 20,000 dirhams as a partial financial subsidy, having been selected by lottery to perform the Hajj.

In addition, children and orphans of police officers benefited from a number of educational and recreational initiatives, notably following the return of summer vacation camps to their normal rhythm following the lifting of the health emergency. A total of 3,181 children benefited from these initiatives. These camps were organized over four different periods in seaside resorts and summer centers in Agadir, Bouznika, Ifrane and Tetouan.

The Foundation also continued to offer stable, long-term financial support to the children and orphans of police officers who excel at school. A scholarship of 10,000 dirhams, over a five-year period of academic study, was awarded to 36 students, with a view to expanding the base of beneficiaries of this program on a periodic basis, to reach 60 beneficiaries per year in the near future. In addition, financial rewards were handed to 116 students who obtained high averages in the baccalaureate exams.

In support of social initiatives, the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Social Works of National Security Civil Servants has signed partnership and cooperation agreements with insurance companies, clinics and national businesses, aimed at giving police officers and their dependents access to health and commercial services at preferential rates, including a partnership agreement covering access at reduced cost to services offered by two Internet and telephone service providers. These partnerships are in addition to those signed in recent years, enabling DGSN family to benefit from commercial, health and insurance services at preferential rates.

With regard to other basic health services, DGSN Health Services Inspectorate has been working over the past year on the development of the “Health 2026” action plan, which includes a new vision for the management of health services under the authority of the security forces, involving support for proactive and preventive initiatives, the activation of health control operations, and the diversification of basic and specialized medical provision for the benefit of police personnel.

During the year under review, 184,378 medical consultations and interventions were carried out for police officers, including 65,127 general medical consultations, 44,279 occupational medicine consultations, 7,716 specialist consultations, 20,779 dental treatments and 7,196 psychological support consultations.

In addition, the DGSN health services inspectorate carried out 1,261 medical control visits to police custody facilities and detention centers for minors under judicial investigation, to check on the hygiene conditions of these individuals subjected to measures restricting their freedom during the preliminary phase of the trial.

Furthermore, 2023 was marked by the continuation of the approach aimed at strengthening and diversifying healthcare provision at regional level, through the equipping and opening of DGSN health center in Casablanca, a decentralized health structure designed to provide medical services and consultations, as well as first aid to police officers and members of their families.

This structure reinforces the range of integrated medical services offered by the other central and regional health centers, including DGSN radiology and medical analysis center in Rabat, inaugurated in 2019 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him.

During the course of this year, the Center, which has undergone major work to extend its services and facilities, now comprises three integrated buildings dedicated to radiology and medical analysis, as well as a day-care center providing medical consultations in a variety of specialties.

The center is equipped with a microbiology laboratory (detection of bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses), a biochemistry and immunology laboratory, a haematology laboratory, and a COVID-19 diagnostic unit.

In addition, this structure has radiology units equipped with advanced digital technology, including scanners, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and mammography for breast cancer screening…etc.

The center also has a multi-purpose care unit offering a range of free specialist medical consultations, covering endoctrinology, cardiology, pneumology, pediatrics and gynecology. It also offers medical consultations in surgical specialties such as orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery, as well as general surgery, dentistry, psychiatric follow-up, physiotherapy, transport and medical assistance.

In support of health initiatives, the General Directorate of National Security allocated exceptional financial assistance this year to 269 civil servants, to the tune of 20,000 dirhams for each beneficiary, to help those suffering or whose relatives are suffering from serious illnesses to meet the treatment costs. This assistance has been multiplied several times in recent years, benefiting 85 people in 2021 and 126 beneficiaries in 2022, to reach 269 beneficiaries this year.

Sixth: Security Communication: A Mechanism for Reinforcing the Feeling of Safety

In 2023, DGSN sought to diversify and strengthen security communication mechanisms with a view to reinforcing the feeling of safety, supporting the work of operational security services, and highlighting the security measures adopted during major events organized in the Kingdom.

In this respect, the security communication services carried out a total of 4,955 communication activities, including 1,488 information missions, divided between press releases and information on security service issues and crimes affecting the sense of safety, as well as the publication of 56 clarifications to counter fake news, in addition to producing 2,873 video reports, in partnership with several national and international television channels and media.

In the field of digital communication, DGSN services disseminated 538 items of content via their accounts on the various social networks to shed light on the reality of certain crimes and counter fake news, particularly those linked to the consequences of the earthquake that struck some regions of the High Atlas.

The regular work of police services was also supported, with the number of subscribers to official DGSN accounts reaching 1,127,944, including 480,944 on X (ex-Twitter), 440,000 on Facebook and 207,000 on Instagram.

The communication services continued to publish police reviews on its electronic platforms, to give everyone access to security information. They also archived and published a number of back issues to document police history, with a view to digitizing back issues from 1961 onwards.

Still on the digital front, the communications departments produced a number of awareness-raising videos for the general public, including a capsule on DGSN Open Days event and one on the police competitive examination, as well as other institutional content, including the video presented by the Kingdom of Morocco to host the 93rd session of the Interpol General Assembly in 2025, and the one on the sacrifices made by the public forces during the aid and assistance operations for the victims of the Al Haouz earthquake, for which the DGSN won the prize for the best Arab awareness capsule in the field of societal policing.

In connection with this natural disaster, the communication services devoted a large part of their work to tracking down the fake news that circulated during the earthquake’s aftermath management phase, and shedding light on the actions taken by DGSN services to help the victims and reduce the effects of this catastrophe, adding that the content published on this subject was widely echoed among citizens insofar as certain posts and tweets collected more than 290,000 views and 4,800 likes.

In 2023, DGSN also organized the 4th edition of DGSN Open Days event in Fez, which coincided with the anniversary of DGSN creation. The event attracted an unprecedented 1,150,000 visitors over five days, while the official account of the event on digital communication platforms was consulted by over 5 million visitors.

In the same vein, DGSN continued to implement its program to raise awareness in schools, bringing the number of beneficiaries in the first half of the current school year to 141,241 pupils in 1,816 educational institutions. DGSN also held regional and local coordination and consultation meetings with 1,821 associations and NGOs, focusing on issues linked to citizens’ expectations of the security institution.

The communication services also backed all major events organized in Morocco, including the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, the 47th Conference of Arab Police and Security Chiefs, and continental and international sporting events held in Morocco.

In addition, in 2023, the communication services detected a total of 260 criminal contents of a violent nature, which were subjected to the necessary technical expertise and investigations before the publication of press released and clarifications about them within a timeframe that varies between one and five hours maximum, with a view to combating rumors and dispelling cases of feelings of insecurity that could be generated by these violent contents.

Seventh: Future Projects: Capitalizing on Security Achievements and Consolidating Security Cooperation

DGSN is determined to consolidate the achievements made in modernizing police infrastructures and services, while at the same time improving them, in order to provide an adequate response to citizens’ expectations of the public police service. It also intends to strengthen and enhance international security cooperation, by sharing its experience in the fight against terrorism and organized crime with friendly and partner countries, as well as with various international organizations interested in police work.

The creation of an international police training center in the town of Ifrane, which will serve as an advanced training institute for Moroccan executives and their colleagues from the African continent, is among the projects scheduled for implementation over the coming year, and currently in the final stages of preparation.

Set up as a regional and international training hub, the center will be able to host training cycles and workshops organized by international partners, for the benefit of African police and security executives in Morocco.

The goal assigned to this international center specialized in police training is to implement the far-sighted Royal Vision aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation relations and consolidating coordination and training mechanisms in the field of security, in order to support the presence and influence of the Kingdom of Morocco in its African and international environment.

The General Directorate of National Security also plans to generalize language teaching centers in various police training schools, and to perfect training techniques in sports security and the management of major events, in order to strengthen police capacities and human resources qualifications – as part of a short-term project – so that they are ready for the approach of the world and continental sporting events that Morocco will be hosting in 2025 and 2030.

With the aim of bringing police training institutes closer to the homes of trainees, both men and women, and in support of regionalization, two security training schools will be opened next year in Casablanca and Marrakech, to reinforce the security training scheme currently overseen by the Royal Police Institute in Kenitra and training schools in Tangier, Oujda, Fez, Bouknadel, Fouarat and Laayoune.

As part of the ongoing project to digitize DGSN services and connect them to central databases, the year 2024 will see the complete roll-out to all police districts of the information system for the management of criminal cases and misdemeanors. It will also see the continued digitization of Judicial Police services at national level, in addition to the deployment of mobile teams to issue electronic national identity cards at all regional commands, with the aim of bringing identity document issuance services closer to people living in remote areas.

With regard to support for local structures, DGSN plans to build new security centers tailored to citizens’ needs, including a new police station at Beni Bouaayach, under the Al Hoceima Regional Security, a police station at the Mohammed V Mausoleum in Rabat and the headquarters of the 3rd police district in Rabat, as well as setting up regional digital trace analysis laboratories at several police commands, on a decentralized basis.

As part of the drive to motivate civil servants, and based on the DGSN’s firm belief that improving the conditions of its human resources is the key to promoting police services, a pilot clinic is to be built next year at the new DGSN headquarters, which is nearing completion. This pilot clinic will join the Rabat radiology and medical analysis center and DGSN regional health centers, whose mission is to diversify the health services for the DGSN family.

DGSN social services are in the process of completing studies to build two vacation centers in Martil and Moulay Bouselham, in the hope of launching these social projects for the benefit of the DGSN family.

In terms of security communications, DGSN plans to organize the fifth edition of DGSN Open Days event in Agadir next year, to coincide with the commemoration of the 68th anniversary of DGSN creation, as part of its ongoing approach to communicating with citizens in all regions of the Kingdom.

In conclusion, DGSN, in reviewing these snippets from its annual report on aspects that intersect with citizen security and the preservation of their integrity and property, reaffirms its commitment to continuing its efforts to consolidate public safety, reinforce the feeling of security and improve the services provided to citizens, resident foreigners and tourists, in addition to improving professional and social conditions for the benefit of all members of the DGSN family.