A man, a smartphone, a mission: In Ennetières-en-Weppes in northern France, Mayor Jean-Claude Flinois is fighting an issue that many small communities face – but few address so directly – with unusual means.
Because if no one enforces the traffic rules, he will do it himself.
The Street, the Village – and the Daily Frustration
Ennetières-en-Weppes. A place like many others: peaceful, charming, pure French countryside living.
But those living here know the other face of the village – the constant noise of heavy trucks roaring through the narrow streets despite the ban.
Cracks in the asphalt, reduced visibility, unsafe paths for children and seniors: the truck transit ban is not a decorative sign, but a protective measure.
But what to do when hardly anyone complies?
When the Mayor Becomes the Law Enforcer
The municipality has no police force of its own – too expensive. A police unit would cost around 250,000 euros, a quarter of the annual budget. So Jean-Claude Flinois opted for a pragmatic solution: an app. Cost: 2,000 euros.
With this digital application for local politicians, the mayor can record and sanction traffic violations himself. Completely legal, completely official.
And so he now patrols his village – not with blue lights, but with his smartphone.
Five fines in two months – four against truck drivers who did not comply with the no-through traffic ban, and one for illegal parking. No manhunt, emphasizes Flinois, but a clear signal: “Those who do not follow the rules endanger the safety of the residents.”
But not everyone applauds. Some citizens welcome the initiative – finally something is happening. Others, however, are skeptical: Is a mayor even allowed to do this?
A field of tension opens up between a legal gray area and urgent necessity.
An app does not replace the police – or does it?
The measure seems like a clever trick to bypass bureaucratic hurdles. At the same time, a bigger question arises: How far can elected officials go when state structures are lacking?
Ennetières-en-Weppes is already thinking ahead. An intermunicipal police unit – that is, a coalition with neighboring municipalities – is being discussed. This would allow costs to be shared and the order problem to be solved sustainably. But until then, the app remains in use – and the mayor on patrol.
The story of Ennetières-en-Weppes is spreading.
Because many villages in France know the problem: prohibition signs ignored, police far away, scarce resources. The app could become a model for them – a piece of digital self-defense for small municipalities.
Digitalization makes many things possible – including digital self-defense for mayors. But without clear legal guidelines, the responsibility remains solely with those who act.
A rhetorical question is allowed: What would happen if all mayors in France became law enforcers with smartphones?
Only reality knows the answer.
But until then, Jean-Claude Flinois remains a symbol of citizen-oriented politics – and of the courage not to simply sit out problems.
Author: Andreas M. B.