The Policía Nacional Civil is the national police of El Salvador.
Contents
History
In the early days of the Republic of El Salvador, the Civil Guard was created in 1867, which then gave way to the National Guard in 1912.
At the end of the Salvadoran Civil War law enforcement bodies in El Salvador included the National Police (Policia Nacional), the Treasury Police, and the National Guard. All were part of the Armed Forces of El Salvador. According to the Commission on the Truth for El Salvador, these police agencies perpetrated many human rights abuses during the civil war. Establishing civilian control of law enforcement agencies was a central tenet of the peace accords which ended the war only after the government and the guerrillas agreed to create a new National Civil Police, incorporating both former police and ex-insurgents as well as a large proportion of previous non-combatants into its ranks. The office of U.S. Senate Majority Whip Alan Cranston (D-California) played a key role in brokering that final agreement, which included the U.S. Department of Justice taking the lead among international actors in establishing the new force.
As part of the peace process, the National Guard and the Treasury Police were supposed to be abolished immediately. It took some time, but eventually was accomplished.
According to El Salvador's current constitution, the National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, also known as PNC) is the only force in charge of keeping order, security and public tranquility in the country, with different functions from the army.
Christian evangelical born again believers numbers are increasing having even high rank officials among their members. The is an evangelical Christian ministry called Christian Police Ministry, their members do street preaching on the streets.
Historical secret police organizations
—Organización Democrática Nacionalista (ORDEN) (Nationalist Democratic Organization)
—Frente Democrático Nacionalista (FDN) (Nationalist Democratic Front)
Academy
The main law enforcement training facility of El Salvador is the National Academy of Public Security (Academia Nacional de Seguridad Publica), (ASNP), where trainees have to complete a course to become officers.