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Earlier last month (9 and 10 November, 2008), an unknown individual (or individuals) in a black 4x4 vehicle made two separate attempts to kidnap two girls, an eight-year-old and a nine-year-old, in the French Pays de Gex villages of Collonges-Fort-l’Ecluse and Thoiry. No link between the two incidents has been confirmed. While local police visited schools to warn children to be careful, there was little direct information for the parents. The information that was made available advised them not to allow their children to walk alone to school or even to go down to the bakery without being accompanied. Certain French communes have made the effort to keep parents updated; others have not. The decision to inform apparently lies with the mairie itself. As contributor Jack Turner noted in The Essential Edge , his own mairie (Thoiry) was reluctant to provide details and even expressed surprised at the request. His piece provoked considerable comment among readers, including several who professed outrage at a foreigner daring to criticize the local townhall, which seems curious when the lives of children are at stake.

For their part, the Swiss authorities have stepped up precautions at nine primary schools ranging from Meyrin to Collex-Bossy in the canton of Geneva. But again, as with their French counterparts, they did not directly inform parents apart from placing notes in the bags of school children. According to the Geneva police, they did not wish to worry the families, but that teachers would respond, if asked.

Both the French and Swiss police are clearly worried by these incidents and are collaborating closely. Given such open movement between the two countries, and the growing concern among residents on both sides for better security. This was provoked by  the recent killing of a Champion guard in Ferney-Voltaire, regional cooperation is vital.

This failure to inform parents properly, however, is unacceptable. Local authorities and the police need to make far greater efforts to be more transparent about what is going on, particularly if the security of one’s children is in jeopardy. Concealing or downplaying such information only prompts rumour and even greater concern. Many parents simply wish to be appraised properly in order to make better informed decisions about what is best for their children.

As one British police consultant in Switzerland told The Essential Edge, more openness can preemptively thwart attempts by potential kidnappers and prompt citizens to be more vigilant as well as forthcoming with information if they observe anything suspicious. “It is wrong to hide such information,” he said. There should be regular crime alerts telling people what to look out for and what precautions to take.

For example, there are no readily available figures as to whether burglaries or armed robberies are on the rise in the region, or not. Or whether both Switzerland and the French border regions, particularly the Pays de Gex, have enough police to deal with increased cross-border crime with recalcitrants traveling up from Lyons or elsewhere to commit hit-and-run assaults.

As one international security source maintained, security is being beefed up at Geneva airport, but not necessarily at Cointrin railway station, where a constant police presence particularly at night would be welcome, or the Lake Geneva region itself.

The mairies should be openly encouraging their constituents to remain engaged, and even call town hall meetings to discuss security, perhaps in conjunction with other Swiss and French communes. Parents in Collonges, for example, posted their own notices to inform others. While this is commendable, such initiatives should be reinforced by local authorities. Another positive public relations exercise would be to have police along the main roads or at the border hand out leaflets in French, English and possibly other languages warning drivers, many of whom are French, Swiss or expatriate parents themselves, about what action to take.

This is an issue that concerns us all. Let us have your thoughts – and suggestions – on how to improve the situation.