Kaitsepolitsei

Kaitsepolitsei, officially Kaitsepolitseiamet (Kapo) and commonly referred to as the Security Police, is Estonia’s domestic security and counterintelligence agency. It operates as a part of the Police and Border Guard Board (Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet, PPA) within the Ministry of the Interior. Its mandate is to safeguard Estonia’s constitutional order, national security, and public safety.

Kapo’s core responsibilities include countering espionage, foreign interference and subversion, preventing and investigating terrorism, and protecting state secrets and critical infrastructure. The agency conducts intelligence gathering, analysis, and criminal investigations, and it provides protective security services for government institutions and major events. It also collaborates with international partners, including EU and NATO members, to counter cross-border security threats.

History and organization: Kaitsepolitseiamet traces its origins to the reorganization of Estonia’s security apparatus after regaining independence in the early 1990s. Over the years it has undergone reforms to strengthen domestic security capabilities, with emphasis on counter-terrorism, counter-espionage, and increasingly cyber-related threats. The agency is structured into divisions focused on intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative work, protective security, and international cooperation.

Governance and oversight: Kapo operates under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior and the Police and Border Guard Board. Its activities are governed by national law and subject to oversight by government bodies and parliamentary committees responsible for national security and internal affairs.