National Police of Panama

The National Police of Panama is a non-military armed body and Panama's national police force. It is part of the Ministry of Public Security and was established by Law No. 18 of 3 June 1997. The National Police of Panama together with the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN), National Borders Service(SENAFRONT) and the Institutional Protection Service (S.P.I.) They compose the Public Strength.
The National Police of Panama has reported to the President of the Republic through the Minister of Public Security since 2010.
The emergency telephone number for the National Police of Panama is 104 throughout Panama. It is a free call. When marking the 104 from a residential fixed telephone, commercial or a public telephone the call is received in the station of police nearer to the origin of the same.
Republican period
An early police force existed in Panama in the first part of the 20th century after independence from Colombia but was s totally unarmed.
In 1935, Colonel Manuel Pino restructured totally the National Police, achieving discipline to the country and arriving even to attain a state budget for the National Police.
National policeman
In 1947 it assumes the leadership the Colonel José Antonio Remón Quarry, the one who later was chosen President of the Republic of Panama and in his period promulgó the law No. 44 of 28 December 1953, that changes to the National Police to National Policeman, proceeding to structure a plan of modernisation that included the sending of officials to specialise out of the country., low and lemma "Everything by The Homeland".
On 11 October 1968 the National Policeman starred a coup d'état against the government of the doctor Arnulfo Arias Madrid, being appointed Commander in Chief to the colonel Aristides M. Hassán; Afterwards, it assumes the control the general Omar Torrijos Herrera in quality of Head of state. Torrijos died in an aerial accident in the hill Marta in the province of Coclé on 31 July 1981. It suceden In the charge the colonel Florencio Flórez Aguilar, the general Rubén Darío Walls Of the River, and the general Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno.
Strengths of Defence of Panama
By means of the Law 20 of 29 September 1983 create the structures in which it based the organisation and the operation of the Strengths of Defence of the Republic of Panama
Public strength
Like result of the North American invasion of 20 December 1989, the new Panamanian government organised the Public Strength, designated to the charge of boss of the police to the colonel Roberto Armijo.
With the end to award him legal foundations to the new police organisation issued the Executive Decree No. 38 of 10 February 1990, by means of which was organised the Public Strength, in where one of his components is the National Police. The Executive Organ appointed like Director of the Public Strength to the colonel Eduardo Herrera Hassán, which later is destituido low charges of conspiracy replacing it the lieutenant colonel Fernando Quezada, the one who to his time was destituido in October of the same year, when boarding a public discussion with the director of a newspaper. In his place was appointed the graduate Ebrahim Asvat.
National police of Panama
In April 1991 appoints to the graduate Gonzalo Menéndez Franco like General Director of the institution, charge that exerted until September 1992, when it was replaced by the graduate Oswaldo Fernández.
In December 1995, the President of the Republic Ernesto Pérez Balladares appointed to José Luis Sosa like General Director of the National Police, the one who exerted these functions until 31 August 1999, date in that it occupied the dispatch Carlos "Toti" Barés Weeden.
It did not go until the year of 1997 that the National Police was legally constituted by means of the promulgation of the Law No. 18 of 3 June 1997, subordinating it explicitly to the public power legitimately constituted.
On 1 September 2004, the President Martín Torrijos Espino, designated to the graduate Gustavo Pérez like General Director of the entity, until the day 5 September 2005, when it was remplazado by the graduate Rolando Eavesdroppers Jr.
In May of the year 2008 and in the middle of a lot of controversy the Executive Organ, chaired by the President of the Republic, appoints interinamente in the direction of the National Police to the commissioner Jaime Ruiz Jayes, the one who fungía like deputy director. In November 2008, is remplazado by the commissioner Francisco Troy Aguirre. It was during these periods that the comandancia of National Police for the first time was to charge of an official of career afterwards of the invasion of 1989, by what some sectors of the population feared that it was the start of a new military diet. It fits to signal that the executive Decree 172 of 29 July 1999, establishes that the charge like General Director of the National Police has to be occupied by a civil component designated by the President of the Republic.
On 2 July 2009 the President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, appoints to the graduate Gustavo Pérez (son) like General Director of the National Police.
On 11 March of the 2012, afterwards that Gustavo Pérez refused publicly, in front of the media, a proposal of the Minister of Public Security José Raúl Mulino, concerning the creation of a Disciplinary Court conformed by personnel no juramentado and extraneous to the rows of the estamentos of security that compose the Public Strength to judge to whose members infrinjan to the disciplinary regulations interns of each institution; the Minister Mulino presented his renunciation to the charge afterwards that the President Ricardo Martinelli manifested that said proposal would not proceed; by what to consequence of the renunciation of the minister immediately makes changes in the structure of the Ministry of Public Security and by means of a press release announces to the graduate Julio Moltó (Ex Director of the Council of Public Security and National Defence) as new General Director of the National Police the one who, in an act protocolar made on 16 March 2012, receives the control of the National Police in replacement of Gustavo Pérez, which would happen to the Council of Public Security and National Defence like Executive Secretary.
Afterwards to result elect president of the Republic of Panama the engineer Juan Carlos Varela in the general elections of 4 May 2014, fulfilling his disposal to plant a member uniformado of career so that it direct the police institution, designates to the commissioner Omar Pinzón like General Director of the National Police from 1 July 2014, relieving to the engineer Julio Moltó.
Organic structure
General direction
It is the highest hierarchy inside the institution. It is composed by the Director and General Deputy director jointly with the directions, departments and offices of advice:
* General office: it is to charge of an official of the upper level and his functions are the ones to coordinate the actions related with the institution to facilitate the execution of the administrative and operative works that develop and execute the director and deputy director.
* Legal consultancy: it is ascribed to the General Direction, from 18 October 2004. Has like aim offer consultancy and service in legal matter to the General Direction as well as to the units that require assistance by reason of his functions, at the same time that it commissions to make legal studies of the documents and projects that issues the institution.
* Communication and Projects (Public Relations): has like function the coordination of projects through the internal and external communications for the projection of the corporate image of the institution.
* Inspectoria General: has like aim ensure the fulfillment of the laws, regulations, managerial and orders that govern the organisation and his functions. It is a unit of coordination, as it establishes it the Executive Decree No 172 of 29 July 1999.
* Together Disciplinary Upper: it investigates the rapes to the Disciplinary Regulation of the National Police. It was created by means of the Executive Decree No 204, of 3 September 1997, in his Chapter IX, in the article 71. Correspond to the Executive Organ, by means of decree, regulate the integration, length, operation and procedures of this board.
* Direction of Telematic: attendant to schedule, organise, direct and control the systems of telecommunications that work in the institution, besides schedule the computer development in the technical field, official and of qualification.
* Internal audit: has like functions the fiscalización and the mejoramiento of the process and financial administrative systems countable and operative of the National Police, to promote an environment of internal control solid, that guarantee the suitable use of the resources.
* Direction of Professional Responsibility (D.R.P.): It is the attendant of fiscalizar, regulate and control all the rapes to the disciplinary regulation, recommending so that they make correct and conveniently the corresponding disciplinary actions, with the end to guarantee that the investigations make with objectivity and impartiality, from the complaints or complaints that present, avoiding that violente they had to process and guaranteeing the presumption of innocence.
* Protocol and Ceremonial: has like function advise, organise and program the social and official acts of the National Police, such like changes of control, ceremonies of graduation, exequias of personnel of the institution and high dignatarios, as well as the delivery of gafetes, condecoraciones, parchments and plates to members and authorities linked to the Institution.
* Security of Installations of the General Direction (S.I.D.G.) It is the unit commissioned of the surveillance and internal security and perimétrica of the main headquarters of the National Police situated in the corregimiento of Ancón.
Directions
* National direction of Human Resources
** Department of Human Resources
** Department of Recruitment and Selection
** Department of Evaluation and Classification
** Department of Planilla
** Department of Auditoria
* National direction of Police and Familiar Welfare
** Medical services
** Department of Gender and Equality of Opportunities
** Department of Social Work
** Department of Psychology
** Sports
** Office against the Familiar violence
* National direction of Teaching
** Instiuto Upper Police President Belisario Sweeps (ISPOL)
** School of Officials of Police Just Doctor Arosemena Doctor Justo Arosemena (ESOPOL)
** Centre of Qualification and Police Specialisation General José Sunday Espinar (CECAESPOL)
* National direction of Management of Projects
* National direction of Administration and Finances
** Department of General Services
* National direction of Engineering and Infrastructure
* National direction of Transport and Maintenance (DITRAMAN)
* National direction of Operations
** Department of Plans and Operations
** Department of Citizen Security
*** Section of Christian Police
** Department of Band of Music
** Group of Support to the Service (G.To.S.)
*** Motorised Police service "Lynxes"
*** Group of Mobile Support (G.A.m.)
** Police of Tourism
** Service of Police of Childhood and Adolescence
** Police service of Security Penitenciaria
** Unit of Control of Crowds (Or.C.M.)
** Security of State Installations and Diplomatic Headquarters
** Police zoning of Panama
*** 1.ª. Police zone - Mouths del Toro
*** 2.ª. Police zone - Coclé
*** 3.ª. Police zone - Columbus
*** 4.ª. Police zone - Chiriquí
*** 5.ª. Police zone - Panama This
*** 6.ª. Police zone - Herrera
*** 7.ª. Police zone - The Saints
*** 8.ª. Police zone - West - 1ra. Region of Police
**** Area This
**** Area West
*** 9.ª. Police zone - Veraguas
*** 10.ª. Police zone - Panama West
*** 11.ª. Police zone - Zone of the Channel of Panama
*** 12.ª. Police zone - Saint Miguelito
*** 13.ª. Police zone - Arraiján
*** 14.ª. Police zone - North- 2gives. Region of Police
*** 15.ª. Police zone - Bon Bosco - 1ra. Region of Police
*** 16.ª. Police zone - Pacora - 1ra. Region of Police
*** 17.ª. Police zone - Rufina Alfaro - 2gives. Region of Police
** Community Preventive unit (Or.P.C.)
** Police unit of the Metre
* National Traffic Operations Management Direcctorate Department of Operations of Transito (D.Or.T.)
** Service of Investigation of Accidents of Traffic (S.I.To.T.)
* National direction of Special Police Services
***Special Forces unit Counterterrorism Group of Police Action (G.To.P.)
*** Group of Special Police Operations (G.Or.P.And.)
*** Tactical unit of Urban Intervention (Or.T.I.Or.)
*** Commandos of Motorised Intervention (C.I.M.)
** Tactical unit of Operations Antidroga (Or.T.Or.To.)
*** Group of Special Operations (G.Or.And.)
*** Unit of Maintenance and Fluvial and Coastal Operations (Or.M.Or.F.C.)
** Technical unit of Explosives (Or.T.And.)
** Canine unit
* National Police intelligence Direcctorate (D.N.I.P.)
** Department of Security of Airports
** Department of Analysis
** Department of Operations
** Department of Intelligence
** Department of Counterintelligence
* Judicial Investigation Direcctorate (Ancient Judicial Technical Police)
** Department of Operations
** Department of Criminal Investigation
** Department of Service of Support
** Department of Resources
** Department of INTERPOL
* National direction of Armament (D.N.To.) - Armería
* Direcciòn National of Ecological Police
* National Anti-Drug Directorate
Logistical resources
Transport
The National Police of Panama has a vehicular fleet constituted by cars and motorcycles according to the needs of the service or type of terrain.
Mainly they use vehicles type pick-up to which is them adapted a ceiling and metallic walls that cover the wagon in which they can move arrested persons and/or effective police. Also they are used vehicles type #sedan which generally are used by the attendants of the distinct detachments to effect routes of supervision of personnel. Recently it has incorporated sportive vehicles to his fleet by the need to effect persecutions to high speed. Also they have motociletas type enduro and scooter for routes in the city and in residential or commercial sectors respectively.
In the areas of tourist interest is common to observe effective police cyclists. The bicycle a half of economic transport, does not contaminate the environment and offers an ornamental effect and relajante in the citizens.
Armament
The standard-issue firearm for the National Police of Panama is the Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol, chambered for 9×19mm. Prior to the 2012, only officials used semi-automatic pistols; the rest of the units used Smith & Wesson revolvers chambered for .38 Special.
* Support arms:
** M16 rifle chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO
** M4 carbine chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO
** Remington 870 shotgun chambered for 12-gauge shells
** Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun chambered for 9×19mm
** KRISS Vector submachine gun chambered for .45 ACP
** M60E4/Mk 43 machine gun chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO
Degrees
The degrees or ranks in the National Police of Panama are reglamentados and established with the executive decree No. 172 of 3 September 1997; in which in one of his sections establishes the echelon of control inside the institution.
* Each unit has right to apply for the immediate upper degree each four years, as long as it fulfil with the requirements demanded by the Direction of Teaching of the National Police as they are it: good behaviour, make all the proofs of annual physical conditioning, good exert of his daily obligations. To have all these to the member of the National Police will deliver him a temario with appearances referents to the police career, chords with the degree or rank to the that aspires the police unit, which will have to develop for later present an examination written.
* The police units @egresado of the School of Officials of Police Doctor Justo Arosemena, ingresan to the institution with the degree of subteniente and with a degree in Police Public Administration; unlike the graduates of the Police Upper Institute President Belisario Sweeps that ingresan with the degree of agents.
* For the classes and agents exist programs of scholarships in schools of military and police training abroad, once graduated, when returning to the rows do it with the degree of subtenientes.
* The total time of service of a miembreo of the National Police of Panama is of thirty years (30 years), except which ingresaron before 1990, the one of these is of twenty-five years (25 years).
: Upper officials
:* Commissioner
:* Sub Commissioner
:* Elder
: Officials subalternos
:* Captain
:* Lieutenant
:* Subteniente
Classes
:* First sergeant
:* Sergeant Segundo
:* First cape
:* Cape Segundo
Agents
:* Agent
:* Agent in Proof of Service (To.P.S.)
Institutional identity
Shield
The National Police of Panama has a shield conformed by a map of the Republic of Panama with flags to the sides covered by an eagle arpía (national bird) in the top, topped with nine stars that symbolise the nine provinces in that it is divided the Republic of Panama and can read the lemma "Protect and Serve"; everything on a black bottom. The flag is conformed by the shield of the National Police on a bottom azúl dark; as well as they also are the insignia of each detachment and uniforms for each occasion.
Uniform
# Uniform Regulate: from 4 November 2010 the National Police of Panama replaced the uniform beige colour by the one of Blue colour Navy (shirt and trousers), white sweater under the shirt, Quepis of the same colour that the uniform with ornaments colour plateado for officials, classes and agents; black shoes. The insignia of degrees go in the sleeves of the shirt for the classes and on the shoulders for the officials, both of white colour on black bottom. Usually used to loan service in diurnal hours in urban zones, as well as also by the administrative personnel and/or for events semi formal inside or out of the installations of the institution.
# Of fatigue or work: trousers and shirt dark green colour; with black sweater under the shirt, cap in cloth dril black colour, boots in black leather, dark insignia. The insignia of degrees go in the sleeves of the shirt for the classes and on the shoulders for the officials. Generally used to loan service in nocturnal days, in areas of difficult access and/or by special units as they can be the motorised "Lynxes", the Unit Control of Crowds and the groups of reaction.
# Uniform of Gala No.1: it uses with the same trousers of the regular uniform, white shirt with black tie and sack of the same colour that the trousers, Quepis of the same colour that the trousers, ornaments colour plateado for officials, classes and agents; black shoes. The insignia of degrees go in the sleeves of the shirt for the classes and on the shoulders for the officials. His use is exclusive for events protocolares or special inside or out of the country, as well as also by the Band of Music of the National Police.
Police action
The National Police in addition to being a preventive body, works to eradicate to the common criminals and to the big criminal groups devoted to the drug trafficking, bleaching of capital, illicit traffic of arms, among others. It makes works of community surveillance in residential and commercial sectors to attain an integration of the citizenship and like this collaborate offering information at first hand on the problems of each community, boosting a culture of convivencia peaceful between all the national citizens or foreigners.
Bibliography
* Website of the National Police of Panama
* Insignia of the National Police of Panama
* Resolution Number 035 of 14 April 2011 "Whereby issues the Uniforms, Insignia, Condecoraciones and Signs for the personnel of the National Police" - Manual of Insignia, Condecoraciones and Signs of the National Police of Panama (1st edition).
* Law Number 069 of 27 December 2007 "That creates the Direction of Judicial Investigation in the National Police, ascribes the Services of Criminalística to the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences and dictates other disposals" - 25949.

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