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THE REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR
THE NATIONAL CIVIL POLICE (PNC)
Stuart Cullen & William H. McDonald
Background and History
Situated on the Pacific Coast of Central America, with an area of 8,260 square miles, the Republic of El Salvador has a population of 6.4 million (July 2002). The Nation’s primary police agency is the National Civil Police (PNC), created in 1992 as a condition of the Peace Accords that ended a twelve year civil war. It became fully operational late in 1994. The PNC replaced all national government law enforcement agencies, including the National Police, an element of the Salvadoran armed forces, the Treasury Police, and both civilian defense forces and para-military organizations.
The PNC is an armed, civilian, service-oriented police organization with an authorized strength of 18,000, one police official for every 352 citizens. Current strength is 16,547 (2002). Women represent 7% of the Force and occupy positions up to the rank of commissioner.
The agency is headed by the Director General of the Police, a civilian appointed by the President of the Republic and answerable to the Minister of Government.
Organization and Operations
The PNC is organized into five geographical regions - Western, Central, Eastern, Metropolitan (Greater San Salvador, the capital city), and Paracentral (urban areas around San Salvador). Regions are further subdivided into 21 territorial operational divisions (delegaciónes) broadly coterminous to the 14 local government administrative areas of El Salvador. Divisional headquarters are located at Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Ahuachapan (Western Region); Libertad Norte, Libertad Sur, Chalatenango, San Salvador Norte, Cuscutlán and San Salvador Sur (Central Region); Nueva San Salvador, Centro, Mejicanos, Ciudad Delgado, and Soyapango (Metropolitan Region); San Vicente, Cabañas, La Paz (Paracentral Region); San Miguel, Usulután, Morazán, La Unión (Eastern Region). Police services have been extended into rural and remote areas.
The Criminal Investigations Department (1,728 personnel) and Transit and Traffic Police (920 personnel) are decentralized and distributed throughout divisions to provide unified operational command under Sub-commissioners. The Attorney General of the Republic maintains functional control of the Criminal Investigations Division.
Specialized PNC units assigned to the Ministry of Finance enforce the National customs and tax regulations. A division allocated to the Minister of Agriculture is responsible for environmental law enforcement. The Protection Division safeguards public officials, foreign dignitaries, diplomatic missions, and government buildings. The Force maintains an internationally trained hostage rescue unit. PNC duties extend to border and immigration control. Other specialized units include:
Air Corps
Antinarcotics
Arms and Explosives
Crime Statistics
Discipline Investigation
Firearms Support
Human Rights
Intelligence
Juvenile and Family
Logistics
Maritime
Mounted
Personnel
Public Order
Public Relations
Support
Tourist Police
Common crime has risen dramatically since 1992. The homicide rate is estimated at 31 per 100,000 (2002), one of the highest in the Americas. The official 1999 serious crime index reported 880 incidents per 100,000 citizens. More than 650 PNC officers have been killed in the line of duty. Major gang activity, fueled by the repatriation of thousands of El Salvadorans deported from the United States, as well as kidnapping and drug crimes plague most cities.
An independent General Inspectorate of Police, under the direction of the Inspector General, monitors police operations and investigates complaints of police misconduct. The Inspector General is appointed by the President and is frequently a member of the political opposition. Some official corruption continues. Internal investigations in 1998 resulted in the dismissal of some 800 officers for criminal activity, corruption, or unsatisfactory professional performance. A similar purge began in 2001.
Recruiting, training, and promotion
The National Public Security Academy (ANSP), an autonomous governmental agency,
sets standards and qualifications for admission to police service and for promotion to higher rank. It administers the recruitment, selection, and promotional processes, provides basic police training, conducts specialized training, and trains middle ranking and senior police officials.
The ANSP Director General, a Presidential appointee in the Ministry of Government, manages the Academy in cooperation with a civilian Academic Council. Instructional staff includes both civilian experts and qualified police personnel. The ANSP research unit studies matters affecting the PNC and national security.
Police applicants must be Salvadoran citizens 18 years of age, with a high school
education, and successful completion of the ANSP admission process. All PNC officers
must graduate from National Public Security Academy, a five months academic program
with an additional three months of supervised field experience.
The PNC maintains seven operational ranks:
Rank: Numbers:
Commissioner 19
Sub-commissioner 54
Inspector 30
Sub-Inspector 227
Sergeant 744
Corporal 1,181
Agent 13,935
Promotions to basic supervisory ranks come from within the Force. Advancement to senior and executive rank requires a university degree. A direct entry program administered through the civil service system allows university graduates without prior police experience to enter at the senior and executive levels.
Both the PNC and ANSP receive substantial financial support and technical assistance from the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union. Increased use of technology has advanced the collection of crime statistics and operational data. The PNC has invested heavily in innovative community policing strategies.
Other Law Enforcement and Security Organizations
Each of the Nation’s major cities operates a limited jurisdiction municipal police agency under the authority of the mayor’s office, headed by a director of police. The Corps of Metropolitan Agents in the capital San Salvador City with 550 officers is the largest. Municipal officers provide preventive patrol on municipal property such as public buildings, parks, and markets. Their authority is limited to the enforcement of local ordinances and non-felony offenses.
El Salvador has a substantial private security industry with some 140 private security companies employing approximately 23,000 armed and unarmed security officers. The PNC’s Private Security Services Division licenses and closely monitors all private security operations.
Since 1992, the duties and authorities of the Salvadoran military forces have been limited to matters of national sovereignty. With minor exceptions, they have no law enforcement or public order responsibilities. Military forces patrol the isolated national borders with Guatemala and Honduras where they participate in anti-smuggling activities. The Military operates a coast guard with similar responsibilities. A separate military police unit provides physical security at military installations and conducts criminal investigations within the military services. El Salvador is a member of INTERPOL.
References:
Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.) 2002 World factbook. Retrieved December
18, 2002, from http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html.
Comisionado Jaime Francisco Vigil Ricinas, Director General National Public Safety Academy El Salvador, 2002.
Peace Agreements Digital Collection: El Salvador. United States Institute of Peace Library. Retrieved November 11, 2002, from http://www.usip.org/library/pa/el_salvador/pa_es_01161992_toc.html
S. Cullin, field notes, March-April 1999, El Salvador.
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