are also occasionally called , which is a slang term derived from an 18th-century Hungarian word for "frontier guards." The symbol of the gendarmerie is a stylized grenade, which is also worn by the Italian Carabinieri and the Grenadier Guards in Britain. The budget in 2008 was approximately 7.7 billion euros. The equivalent Dutch force, Royal Marechaussee, uses officially the old French term--which King William I, when assuming power after the fall of Napoleon, considered preferable to "gendarmerie". Missions In French, the term "police" not only refers to the forces, but also to the general concept of "maintenance of law and order" (policing). The Gendarmerie's missions spans three categories: Administrative police (), upholding public order, safety checks and traffic controls, assistance to people in imminent danger, protection duties, etc. Judicial police (), handling penal law enforcement and investigation of crimes and felonies Military and defense missions, including military police for the armed forces These missions include: The policing of the countryside, rivers, coastal areas, and small towns with populations under 20,000, that are outside of the jurisdiction of the French National Police. The Gendarmerie's area of responsibility represents approx. 95% of the French territory and 50% of the population of France Criminal investigations under the supervision of the judiciary Maintaining law and order in public gatherings and demonstrations, including crowd control and other security activities Police at sea Security of airports, civil nuclear sites and military installations Provision of military police services to the French military—on French territory as well as during foreign operations (OPEX) For the Republican Guard (Garde républicaine—which is part of the Gendarmerie), participation in the state's protocol and ceremonies Organization Basic principles The Gendarmerie, while remaining part of the French armed forces, has been attached to the Ministry of the Interior since 2009. Criminal investigations are run under the supervision of prosecutors or investigating magistrates. Gendarmerie members generally operate in uniform, and, only occasionally, in plainclothes. Director-General The Director-general of the Gendarmerie (DGGN) is appointed by the Council of Ministers, with the rank of Général d'Armée. The current Director-General is Général Christian Rodriguez who took office on November 1, 2019. The Director-General organizes the operation of the Gendarmerie at two levels: At the operational level. The DGGN is in charge of plans, operations, procurement, training and support of the forces in the field. In an advisory position for government in all matters pertaining to the Gendarmerie.