Brigade de répression du proxénétisme  The Brigade de répression du proxénétisme (BRP) is a judicial police service of the French National Police, responsible for the surveillance of prostitution and the repression of procuring. The service has had various forms of organization during course of its history. It previously been designated as the "Brigade of Manners" and the "Brigade de Mondaine" (Social Brigade), expressions that remain popular to this day. There are several brigades of this type; the most important is that of the Paris judicial police. The history of the BRP can be traced back to the creation of the "general police lieutenant" under the command of Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie. Based on a network of paid informers and provocateurs (known as "les mouches", or "flies"), he succeeded in dismantling the "court of miracles". However, the first mention of a department devoted to the "policing of morals" dates from 1747, with the creation of the "Office of the discipline of manners" by Nicolas René Berryer, the lieutenant general of police. It was known as the Brigade of Manners. The essential function of this office was as an intelligence service that used prostitutes and housewives to obtain compromising information about their clients, even if this led to repression. As an example the police searched for religious libertines. This intelligence function remains central in the vice squad in the 21st century. From 1796, under the Directory, an era of tolerance began. Insertion of prostitutes into the register of prostitution and compulsory medical examination were under the control of the BRP, which occupied the second office of the first division of the police prefecture. During the 19th century, the reputation of the police was poor and there were many scandals. There was also agent misconduct; 32 of 40 officers were dismissed in a few months. Prostitutes were subjected to police abuse, and some preferred death to being arrested by this brigade. The most publicized incidents related to honest women being confused with "girls of joy" and arrested by police officers, who seemed to have become uncontrollable. The scandal resulted in the Paris city council opposing the brigade at the prefecture. It designated a "Commission of the Police des mœurs", whose work culminated in the dissolution of the vice squad in 1881. Yves Guyot, a journalist and city councilor, was one who held the vice-morality police in contempt.