The Special Brigades were formed in March 1940 and tasked with suppressing communist activities.[1] The Special Brigades was organized by the Director of General Information at the Prefecture of Police Lucien Rottée, who appointed Commissioner Fernand David as Head of the Special Brigades.
After the Liberation of France, 150 police officers from the Special Brigades were prosecuted. Sixty-four inspectors were sentenced, including twenty-two to the death penalty: ten were executed. Rottée and David were tried, condemned for treason and executed by firing squad at Fort de Montrouge on May 5 1945.