Deteriorating working conditions, low morale, and a suicide crisis have taken a significant toll on officers. Conditions are so disturbing that tens of thousands of people, including many police officers, staged a protest this week in the streets of Paris over their frustrations, reported AFP. 

Police unions have warned since the yellow vest violence broke out, some 52 officers have committed suicide since January. 

Organizers of the protest said 27,000 police officers of all ranks came together on the streets of Paris on Wednesday.

"We're here to fight for our working conditions and above all to pay tribute to our colleagues who took their own lives," said Damien, a young police officer. 

Cyril Benoit, an officer with over two decades of service, said the yellow vest protests have severely stressed the force, triggering a wave of suicides in the last nine months.

Benoit blamed "physical and psychological fatigue" and unwanted pressure from senior officers to meet unrealistic goals during the violent protests.

"There's always been a bit of pressure on the police but never like this," he told AFP.