The Directorate of Carabineers and Rural Security of the National Police of Colombia supervises the Mounted Police, or Carabineros Corps, a rural paramilitary police force resulting from the 1993 reform to patrol and maintain public order in conflict zones and in the national parks. [1] Despite its reestablishment in 1993, the Carabineros Corps is actually Colombia's oldest police force, created by a law of May 18, 1841. [1] Beginning in 1936, a Chilean mission helped to professionalize the corps. [1]
The Carabineros carry out counterinsurgency missions, frequently in conjunction with army units. [2] Headquartered at the department and national territory capitals, the Carabineros are maintained in squadrons that were separate from those of the regular police; they wore distinctive uniforms and often traveled as mounted units. [2]
In 2006 there were 9,800 Carabineros officers, located principally in rural areas and trained in irregular conflict and in the rescue of hostages. [1]
Units of the Mobile Carabinier Squadrons (EMCAR), operating in 120-member squadrons, were formed in 2004 as a part of President Álvaro Uribe’s Democratic Security and Defense Policy (usually referred to as Democratic Security Policy) to provide extra support for police activities in conflict areas. [1] Special Carabineros Corps units also provide backup to urban police during public events or civil protests. [1]
A gendarmerie is a military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term gendarme is derived from the medieval French expression gens d'armes, which translates to "men-at-arms". In France and some Francophone nations, the gendarmerie is a branch of the armed forces that is responsible for internal security in parts of the territory, with additional duties as military police for the armed forces. It was introduced to several other Western European countries during the Napoleonic conquests. In the mid-twentieth century, a number of former French mandates and colonial possessions adopted a gendarmerie after independence.
The Civil Guard is one of the two national law enforcement agencies of Spain. As a national gendarmerie, it is military in nature and is responsible for civil policing under the authority of both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence. The role of the Ministry of Defence is limited except in times of war when the Ministry has exclusive authority. The corps is colloquially known as the benemérita. In annual surveys, it generally ranks as the national institution most valued by Spaniards, closely followed by other law enforcement agencies and the armed forces.
A carabinier is in principle a soldier armed with a carbine, musket, or rifle, which became commonplace by the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. The word is derived from the identical French word carabinier.
In Mexico, the term Rurales (Spanish) is used to refer to two armed government forces. The historic Guardia Rural was a rural mounted police force, founded by President Benito Juárez in 1861 and expanded by President Porfirio Díaz. Under Díaz, it served as an effective force of repression and a counterweight to the Mexican Army during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The rurales were dissolved during the Mexican Revolution.
Military Police are the uniformed preventive state police of the states and of the Federal District of Brazil. The Military Police units are the main ostensive police force at the state level and are responsible for policing and maintaining the public order. Their formations, rules and uniforms vary depending on the state. Investigative work and forensics are undertaken by the Civil Police of each state.
The Argentine National Gendarmerie is the national gendarmerie force and corps of border guards of the Argentine Republic. As at 2011, It has a strength of 30,000
Law enforcement in Bolivia is reliant on the 40,000-member Cuerpo de Policía Nacional responsible for internal security and maintaining law and order. Unlike many South American countries, the Bolivian police force always has been accountable to the national government rather than to state or local officials. The 1950 Organic Law of Police and Carabiniers officially separated the police from the military. Frequently, however, the national police call upon the military for assistance in quelling riots and civil protests.
The National Police of Colombia is the national police force of the Republic of Colombia. Although the National Police is not part of the Military Forces of Colombia, it constitutes along with them the "Public Force" and is also controlled by the Ministry of Defense. The National Police is the only civilian police force in Colombia. The force's official functions are to protect the Colombian nation, enforce the law by constitutional mandate, maintain and guarantee the necessary conditions for public freedoms and rights and to ensure peaceful cohabitation among the population.
The Mobile Carabinier Squadrons (EMCAR) are specialised units of the Colombian National Police, part of its Directorate of Carabineers and Rural Security. The mission of these mobile squadrons is to provide highway security, control traffic and prevent accidents. Among their objectives is to interact and socialize with civilians to create neighborhood watch and collaboration.
Law enforcement in Spain is carried out by numerous organizations, not all of which operate in the same areas.
The Civil Guard was the main preventive police force of Peru until its dissolution in 1988. As a national gendarmerie force, it was responsible for civil policing under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior, while investigative work was carried out by the Peruvian Investigative Police. It was also supported at times by the Republican Guard. During its dissolution process, it became known as the General Police until its formal integration into the National Police of Peru in 1991. The corps is colloquially known as the benemérita (reputable).
The Carabineros de Chile are the Chilean national law enforcement gendarmerie, who have jurisdiction over the entire national territory of the Republic of Chile. Created in 1927, their mission is to maintain order and enforce the laws of Chile. They reported to the Ministry of National Defense through the Undersecretary of Carabineros until 2011 when the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security gained full control over them. They are in practice separated fully from the three other military branches by department but still are considered part of the armed forces. Chile also has an investigative police force, the Investigations Police of Chile, also under the Interior and Public Security Ministry; a Maritime Police also exists for patrol of Chile's coastline.
The Social Security Ministry and the State Security Department are responsible for internal security in North Korea. Although both are government organs, they are tightly controlled by the party apparatus through the Justice and Security Commission and the penetration of their structures by the party apparatus at all levels. The formal public security structure is augmented by a pervasive system of informers throughout the society. Surveillance of citizens, both physical and electronic, is also routine.
The Somali Police Force is the national police force and the main civil law enforcement agency of Somalia. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fighting, traffic control, maintaining public safety, counter-terrorism. It is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Internal Security.
The Carabineros was an armed carabiniers force of Spain under both the monarchy and the Second Republic. The formal mission of this paramilitary gendarmerie was to patrol the coasts and borders of the country, operating against fraud and smuggling. As such the Carabineros performed the dual roles of frontier guards and customs officials.
The Carabiniers-à-Cheval were mounted troops in the service of France.
The National Security Corps was the national police in Czechoslovakia from 1945 to 1991.
For more than a century the Military Parade of Chile or Great Military Parade of Chile has been a tradition within the Independence Day holidays in Chile. It is held in Santiago, Chile's O'Higgins Park on September 19 yearly in honor of the Glories of the Chilean Army with a military parade involving not just the ground forces but by the rest of the Chilean Armed Forces: the Chilean Navy, the Chilean Air Force, and the Carabineros de Chile. It is also in honor of the anniversary of the formal inauguration on that day in 1810 of the First Government Junta, which witnessed the first military parade of the independent nation at the Plaza de Armas, Santiago. It is the final act of the national independence celebrations, which are broadcast through TV and the Internet and radio.
Carabinier originally a cavalry soldier armed with a carbine, may also refer to the following: