gendarmeries

A gendarmerie is a military-based police force charged with policing duties among civilian populations. The term derives from the French gendarme, literally a mounted soldier serving as a police officer. Gendarmeries exist as national or regional bodies in several countries and are typically organized as a military corps under the authority of interior or defense ministries, depending on the country.

Functions commonly include general policing in rural areas, road and traffic policing, criminal investigation support, public order and crowd control, border and customs security, and sometimes counter-terrorism and disaster response. They usually operate alongside or separately from civilian police forces, with a chain of command that places them under a minister of defense or interior.

Historically, gendarmeries emerged in 18th and 19th-century Europe as specialized rural and road policing forces patterned after cavalry; the French Gendarmerie Nationale is the archetype. In many states they have retained a quasi-military structure, with ranks, training, and equipment akin to the army, while performing civilian policing tasks. In some countries the gendarmerie has been integrated into a national police service, retaining a distinctive status or brand.

Notable examples include the French Gendarmerie Nationale; the Italian Carabinieri and Guardia di Finanza; the Spanish Guardia Civil; and the Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana. Other states historically used similar forces, and some retain gendarmerie components alongside civilian police, while others have merged them into unified police organizations.