Civil Guard (Spain)
The Civil Guard (Spanish: Guardia Civil; [ˈɡwaɾðja θiˈβil]) is one of the two national enforcement agencies of Spain. As a national gendarmerie force, 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.[2][3] The role of the Ministry of Defence is limited except in times of war when the Ministry has exclusive authority.[2][4] The corps is colloquially known as the benemérita (the meritorious or the reputables). 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.[5]
"Guardia Civil" redirects here. For other uses, see Civil Guard.
Civil Guard
Guardia Civil
GC
El honor es mi divisa
Honour is my badge
May 13, 1844
85,426 total (2020) and 77,223 active (2020)
- National border patrol, security, and integrity.
- Coastal patrol, marine border protection, marine search and rescue.
- Highways, roads, and/or traffic.
Calle de Guzmán el Bueno, 110, 28003 Madrid, Spain
It has both a regular national role and undertakes specific foreign peacekeeping missions and is part of the European Gendarmerie Force. As a national gendarmerie force, the Civil Guard was modelled on the French National Gendarmerie and has many similarities.[2]
As part of its daily duties, the Civil Guard patrols and investigates crimes in rural areas, including highways and ports, whilst the National Police deals with safety in urban situations. Most cities also have a Municipal Police Force. The three forces are nationally co-ordinated by the Ministry of the Interior. The Civil Guard is usually stationed at casas cuartel, which are both minor residential garrisons and fully-equipped police stations.
The Guardia Civil as a police force, has had additional tasks given to it in addition to its traditional role.
It is the largest police force in Spain, in terms of area served. Today, they are primarily responsible for policing and/or safety regarding the following (but not limited to) areas and/or safety related issues (given in no special order):[4]
Peacekeeping and other operations[edit]
The Guardia Civil has been involved in operations as peacekeepers in United Nations sponsored operations, including operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, Congo, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Haiti, East Timor and El Salvador. They also served with the Spanish armed forces contingent in the war in Iraq, mainly as military police but also in intelligence gathering, where seven of its members were killed.
In the Afghan war effort the rapid reaction branch of the Guardia Civil; the Grupo de Acción Rápida (GAR) were deployed to the Kabul area in 2002 shortly after the invasion and served as the protective team for the High Representative of the European Union. They maintained their services until 2008. In that period, the Agrupación de Tráfico (Traffic Group), Jefatura Fiscal y de Fronteras (Customs and Revenue Service), Policía Judicial (Judicial Police), and Seguridad Ciudadana (Public Order and Prevention service) have also had their deployments to Afghanistan for the peacekeeping efforts.[19]
After 2009, the mission of the Civil Guards in Afghanistan shifted focus to training up local security forces in the country. In that period, the counter-terrorism branch of the Guardia Civil; the Unidad de Acción Rural (UAR) were deployed to Afghanistan to train the Afghan National Police[20] as part of ISAF's Police Advisor Team (PAT) formerly the Police Operative Mentoring and Liaison Team (POMLT) [19]
In addition to el instituto armado ("the armed institution"), the Guardia Civil is known as la benemérita ("the well-remembered"). They served in the Spanish colonies, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Spanish Guinea and Spanish Morocco.
The Guardia Civil has a sister force in Costa Rica also called the Guardia Civil. The Costa Rican 'guardias' often train at the same academy as regular Spanish officers.
During the Iraqi Civil War, the GAR have been deployed to Iraq to train and assist Iraqi federal police in the fight against ISIS militants.[21]
UAR (Unidad de Acción Rural) – The rural service branch of the Guardia Civil
Seguridad Ciudadana – Public Order and Prevention service, which makes up the bulk of the Guardia Civil
GEAS (Grupo Especial de Actividades Subacuáticas) – Divers
GRS (Grupo de Reserva y Seguridad) – Security Group, involved in Riot control and includes personnel of the Civil Guard Cavalry Squadron
SEMAR (Servicio Marítimo) – Guardia Civils Naval Service, tasked with seashore surveillance and fisheries inspections
SEPRONA (Servicio de Protección de la Naturaleza) – Nature Protection Service, for environmental protection
SAER (Servicio Aéreo) – Guardia Civil Air Service
Servicio Cinológico – K-9 Unit, for Drugs and explosives detection and people finding
GREIM (Grupos de Rescate e Intervención en Montaña / Servicio de Montaña) – Mountain and Speleology Rescue
Jefatura Fiscal y de Fronteras – Customs and Revenue Service
Agrupación de Tráfico – Traffic Group, The Guardia Civil Highway Patrol unit, tasked with the control of highways and trunk roads
GAR (Grupo de Acción Rápida) – Rapid Reaction Group. Special antiterrorist unit, operating within all of Spain and participating in some foreign missions
UCO (Unidad Central Operativa) – Central Operative Unit, a branch of the Policía Judicial focused on complex or nationwide investigations
The Corps has been organised into different specialties divided into operational and support specialties:[31]
The Guardia Civil has some training and supervision responsibilities for essentially private security services with similar names:[36]
The Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona is not part of the Guardia Civil.