Paris, October 15 (RHC)-- Thousands of French police officers have taken to the streets of the capital, Paris, and a number of other cities in protest against unsafe working conditions.

On Wednesday, the police officers gathered at the capital’s Place Vendome square, which is home to the Ministry of Justice, to demonstrate against the lack of resources and insufficient support from the country’s judiciary. "There has been a breakdown between police and the justice system," Angelo Bruno, with the Unite-SGP police union said.

Police union representative, Gregory Goupil, said French officers, who are protesting against a series of decisions to let criminals out of jail or free suspects from custody, are angry about the situation.

The demonstrations come days after an officer was critically wounded by a convict in a shootout which also resulted in the death of the aggressor.

French President Francois Hollande has said he will meet with police unions next week. And French Prime Minister Manuel Valls also promised to simplify justice procedures and increase prison sentences for those convicted of weapons charges.

The protest is the first of its kind since 1983, when police officers held protests against the justice ministry's laxity following the killing of two police forces by gangsters.