My wife and I have met many Gendarme dining in restaurants over the many years we have vacationed to Saint Martin and found them all to be very engaging and totally concerned about the safety of the residents and tourists alike. To suggest that they can't/won't solve crimes or apprehend subjects who are victimizing residents and tourists is doing a great disservice to these fine young men who leave France for months at a time and are separated from their families to work under very difficult conditions.