Given they are actually not allowed to use their gun when a large terrorist attack is going on right in front of them [0], it could be argued their role is most

Given they are actually not allowed to use their gun when a large terrorist attack is going on right in front of them [0], it could be argued their role is mostly public relations. [0] page 53 of this official report: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/14/pdf/rap-enq/r3922-t1.pdf http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/14/pdf/rap-enq/r3922-t1.pd... (gist: neither the head of police nor the army allowed the soldiers to open fire, arguably for good reasons, but then what's the point?)