Somali Gendarmerie (Italian Empire)

Somali Gendarmerie
Gandarmaariiga ee Soomaaliya الدرك من الصومال Gendarmeria della Somalia
Gendarmerie war flag
Active	1960-present
Country	Somali Social Republic
Allegiance	Italian Empire
Type	Gendarmerie
Size	40,000
Commanders
Current commander	Maj. Gen. Maxamed Sheekh Xasan
Chief of Staff	Brig. Gen. Cabdi Xasan Cawaale Qeybdiid
Deputy Commander	Brig. Gen. Fausto Bellinzoni

The Gendarmerie of Somalia (Somali: Gandarmaariiga ee Soomaaliya; Arabic: الدرك من الصومال, al Ddarak min al Ssumal; Italian: Gendarmeria della Somalia) is the national gendarmerie force and the law enforcement agency of the Autonomous Social Republic of Somalia. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fighting (including the enforcement of the Xeer), traffic control, maintaining public security, and counter-terrorism. It is under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Interior, Directorate-General of Public Security.

The Gendarmerie serves as one of the principal organs of the Somali Government. While organised at a national level, each arm reports to a Regional police authority, which in turn divides its force by local Police Divisions, headquartered at local police stations. In an emergency, the Gendarmerie can be reached by dialing 888 from any telephone in Somalia. With regard to the relationship with other entities, the Somali Gendarmerie accepts local self policing: clan-based Militia units act against theft and low-level violence and urban-based neighbourhood watch schemes of the Militia provide reassurance and support to the Somali Gendarmerie.

History

The Gendarmerie of Somalia was formally established on 1 December 1960, following the dissolution of the Italian African Police. The newly established Somali Police Corps inherited about 1,200 Somali policemen and 800 Italian policemen, excluding mobile units. The first commander was former P.A.I. Colonel Graziano Funari, and all officers were Italians or Italian Somalis until 1972.

In 1961 the Somali Police Corps established an air wing, equipped with light aircraft and one Itavia IV-3. The unit was established directly under the General Command and it operated from improvised landing fields near remote police posts. The wing provided assistance to field police units through the airlift of supplies and personnel and reconnaissance. In 1969 the air wing transitioned to helicopters and, in 2003, it was subordinated to the Dervish Police Regiment.

The first iteration of the mobile forces consisted of the Mobile Border Nucleus (Nucleo Mobile di Frontiera), a Battalion with the task of guarding the Somali-Ethiopian and the Somali-Kenyan borders based in Belet Uen, and of the Celere Police Unit (Reparto Celere di Polizia), based in Mogadiscio. The mobile units were established in 1953 and in 1954 from Zaptié under Italian African Police and existed until 1968.
Shortly afterwards, the Gendarmerie absorbed the Carabinieri Higher Command Somalia on 1 February 1962. After a transitional phase, Schools and other facilities were established by 1967 (Subofficers School in 1958, Officers School in 1964). In order to strengthen the military character of the new organisation, the Somali Police Corps was renamed Somali Gendarmerie on 1 June 1968. On 1 September 1968, the Celere Police Unit and the Mobile Border Nucleus underwent a lenghty reorganisation and expansion process, becoming the 1st Gendarmerie Regiment (1971) and 2nd Gendarmerie Regiment (1972), respectively.

Starting from the mid-1970s, the corps pursued a moderate "somalization" policy in order to enable indigenous Officers to take command and senior management, also because the ongoing debate in Italy wether the former colonies had to be disbanded or not. The first Somali commander was Colonel Jaamac Qoorsheel, who held command from 1976 to 1979. Nevertheless, Italian Somali presence has remained significant through the years.
In the 1993 Somali Crisis saw the Somali Gendarmerie was not directly involved in the fightings but for mobile units and for its intelligence activities. Thanks to a combined action of Gendarmerie and Italian units Mohamed Farrah Aidid was captured. In 2003, the Dervish Police Regiment was established to coordinate all police special forces.

Organisation

Officers and agents of the Somali Gendarmerie depend on their superiors. For institutional services the Corps Commands depend on government authorities having jurisdiction over the area where they are located. Those authorities, except in extraordinary cases, only turn to commanders who then give nocessarie provisions.

The Gendarmerie manages a type of recruitment characterised as "intertribal" with a double physiognomy of territorial organisation (Stations and Fixed Police posts), with integrated mobile Units that if necessary act in favour of nomads, also interposing in the clashes between them for grounds for grazing and exploitation of springs.

The organisation of the Gendarmerie follows both the demographics of Somalia and the administrative divisions. Broadly speaking, the Gendarmerie has a Territorial Organisation, a Mobile Organisation (for riot control and armed services) and a Training Organisation; some specialist units are directly attached to the General Command. The organisation is closely modelled on the Carabinieri structure, with further adaptations in order to deal with scarce population density and arising security needs.

Police Schools are all based in Mogadiscio. There are training courses dedicated to officers, inspectors and subofficers, while newly recruited troops are trained at their Group Commands; there are also technical validation courses for subofficers and specialization courses.

A military atmosphere prevails - dress codes, behavior standards, and rank differentiations are strictly adhered to. Esprit de corps is inculcated with regular ceremonies and institutionalization of rituals such as applauding personnel dispatched to or returning from assignments and formally welcoming senior officers to the mess hall at all meals.

General Command

At its top, the Gendarmerie has the General Command, based in Mogadishu, led by a Commandant (a Major General with Special Duties), who is assisted by a Deputy Commander and a Chief of Staff (both Brigadier Generals).

Commandant

The Commandant may be selected among Italian Brigadier Generals or among Somali Gendarmerie Brigadier Generals in permanent service. As an unwritten rule, the position of Commandant is reserved for Brigadier Generals who have extensive experience of criminal police.
The Commandant is in charge of internal organisation, proper functioning, deployment and chain of command of the Somali Gendarmerie and he is the overall commander for all police operations, services and activities of the Somali Gendarmerie. As such, he is also in charge of other Imperial and of Italian police units deployed in Somalia, unless specific provisions are issued by the Duce of Italy or, upon the latter's authorization, by the Chief of Somalia.
The Commandant must keep informed the Duce of Italy (through the Ministry of Imperial Affairs), the Chief of Somalia, the Minister of Interior, and, upon the Chief of Somalia's authorization or order, every concerned government authority of matters of major importance or which may be of interest.

General Staff of the General Command

The General Staff of the General Command of the Somali Gendarmerie is the coordination body, tasked with implement and execute orders and directives issued by the Commander and general directives of other bodies. It is led by the Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Somali Gendarmerie and includes six Units:

• I Unit - Forces organization: competent in matters of organization, training, personnel management, as well as disciplinary and assistance;
• II Unit - Forces deployment: responsible for all operational activities;
• III Unit - Telematics: deals with IT, telecommunications, special armament and equipment issues;
• IV Unit - Logistical support of the forces: responsible for all support activities (procurement, supplies, repairs, maintenance and recovery);
• V Unit - External Relations and Propaganda;
• VI Unit - Planning, programming, budget and control: responsible for coordination of administrative and financial activities.

The Chief of Staff of the General Command of the Somali Gendarmerie is a Brigadier General tasked of being the chief consultant and collaborator of the Commander, on which he directly depends. He receives from the Commander the directives for the activity to be carried out and directs the activities of the General Staff and defines, where necessary, the additional elements to translate the decisions of the General Commander into orders and plans. As Chief of Staff, he represents the Commander and issues orders in his name, when authorized, and has some departments and units under his direct dependencies: the Custodial Command, the Health Service, the Logistics Service, and the Personnel Service.

Specialist Units Command

The Deputy Commander leads the Specialist Units Command, which consists of:

• Integrated Investigative Office;
  • Tributary Police Group;
  • Anti-drug Police Group;
• Banditry Police Office (tasked with investigative work in supporting mobile forces);
  • Specialised Stock Theft Prevention Unit;
• Special Research Office;
• Port Police Office (mainly in charge for ports of Mogadiscio, Bender Cassim, Brava, Berbera, Chisimaio, Dante, Gibuti and Merca where it has dedicated Groups);
• Traffic Police Office (Gadidka Poliska);
• Communications and Support Office;
• Border Control Office;
• General and National Administrative Affairs Group;

Special Research Office

The Special Research Office is the Somali Gendarmerie intelligence wing and it responds to the need to predict political, economic and social events. The Special Research Office participates in the fight against organized crime (control of gambling establishments, money laundering, etc.) and urban violence. The Special Research Office is organized into four specialized units:

• General information unit;
• Economic and financial unit;
• Counter-Terrorism Unit;
• Judicial and Political Database.

Territorial organisation

The Somali Gendarmerie is organised in State and Region boundaries, in order to provide response to the diverse needs.

Multiregional Command

The Somali Gendarmerie has a dedicated Multiregional Command for each Constituent State and Federal Territory of the Somali Autonomous Social Federal Republic. These seven multi-regional boundaries exist for security and tactical planning purposes.
Each State issues its own interpretation of the Xeer and different groups may issue their own official position; each Regional Command may be required by the Constituent State authorities to enforce a duly issued Xeer sentence. Each State also provides the general administration to the relevant territory; each Multiregional Command has an administrative police structure.

Regional Gendarmerie Group

For central administrative purposes, Somalia is divided into 19 Regions (Gobollada, singular Gobol), which in turn are subdivided into Districts. In each Region there is a Gendarmerie Group, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel or, for most populated Regions, by a Colonel. Each Group has a Command, some Companies (at least one per District) and several Stations and Posts (for areas interested by nomadic presence). Within Groups and Companies, both information and investigative squads and teams operate in the territories. In order to provide investigations in Xeer-related legal cases, each Gendarmerie Group maintains a dedicated unit. The Xeer Policing Unit consists of specialised detectives (Gurtiyal) to investigate cases and of uniformed agents (Waranle) to enforce the customary law.
Strength of Regional Gendarmerie Groups varies according to the needs. The Gibuti Group has around 1,500 Gendarmes, augmented by the 5th Battalion of the 2nd Gendarmerie Regiment (600 troops ca.); on the converse, the Mogadishu Federal Territory Multiregional Command, which coincides with the Benadir Gendarmerie Group, has 4,500 Gendarmes, augmented by the 1st Battalion of the 1st Gendarmerie Regiment (600 troops ca.).

Regional Commission of Public Order and Public Security

Within each Regional Command, it exists a Regional Commission of Public Order and Public Security (Somali: Gudiga Gobolka ee Amarka Dadweynaha iyo Amniga Dadweynaha). The Regional Commission has the task to develop, according government's guidelines, a community safety and security plan.
The Commission includes the Regional Governor, the Gendarmerie Commander, the Somali National Militia Regional commander and elements from social groups existing in the Region: District and Municipal authorities, Somali Fascist Party leaders, clan elders and religious leaders, representatives of Italians, Corporations, women and youths. Clan elders and representatives of sensitive categories are recruited according to clan-based rules.

Urban security

In larger cities, a whole Somali Gendarmerie Company is usually deployed. In such cases, a Company exists for the urban area and another Company for the remainder of the relevant District. The Gendarmerie carries out both uniformed presence and investigations work. In case of necessity, the Gendarmerie uses the local Militia Command, which in turn sets up local watch groups. The Militia local watch groups also use their ties to the Gendarmerie to involve them quickly in cases of violent encounters with criminals. This is officially presented as an implementation of the concept of Fascist Corporatism.
While the Somali Gendarmerie may need a temporary reinforcement in periods when Mobile Forces are not immediately available or risk to be too visible on the streets, and therefore relies on the Somali National Militia, the Militia local watch groups, in turn, cannot enforce the law and rely on the police if they encounter criminal gangs or witness a serious crime such as murder. Police and Militia thus complement each other in the provision of local security. It is to note that, in all cases, the local watch groups are under the aegis of the Somali National Militia and, on the other hand, the Somali Gendarmerie regulates and controls their patrolling activities.

Mobile Forces Command

The Mobile Forces Command (Somali: Taliska Ciidamada Mobilada, T.C.M.) is the paramilitary and mobile organisation of the Somali Gendarmerie deployed to keep peace between unresting clans in the interior and to quell any security crisis it may arise. They also provide patrol services on internal borders, fight of cattle theft, support to territorial organisation and to other police services in the Italian Empire and abroad, emergency relief, as well as any other task requiring the deployment of an organized maneuvering mass. The Command is led by a Brigadier General who directly depends on the Commandant of the Somali Gendarmerie, and consists of a Command, two Gendarmerie Regiments, and one Dervish Police Regiment.
While Darawishta Poliska members attend a six-month tactical training course, Gendarmerie Regiments personnel receive training in public order and riot control. Gendarmes belonging to the Mobile Forces Command bear the title Gogle.

History of mobile forces

The Mobile Forces Command dates back to 1950s. The first iteration of the mobile force consisted of the Mobile Border Nucleus (Nucleo Mobile di Frontiera), a Battalion with the task of guarding the Somali-Ethiopian and the Somali-Kenyan borders based in Belet Uen, and of the Celere Police Unit (Reparto Celere di Polizia), based in Mogadiscio. Both units were established back in 1950s, and existed as such until 1968. On 1 September 1968, the Celere Police Unit and the Mobile Border Nucleus underwent a lenghty reorganisation and expansion process, becoming the 1st Gendarmerie Regiment (1971) and 2nd Gendarmerie Regiment (1972), respectively.
In the 1993 Somali Crisis saw a limitied involvement of the Mobile Units. In 2003, the Dervish Police Regiment was established to coordinate all police special forces.

Gendarmerie Mobile Battalion

Riot and paramilitary Gendarmierie mobile troops consist of two large Gendarmerie Regiments (Somali: Gandarmaariiga Guutada) with a total of ten Gendarmerie Mobile Battalions. Tasks entrusted to the Mobile Battalions are riot control, maintenance of public order and security and counter-insurgency. Each Gendarmerie Mobile Battalion has the same organisational structure centred around three 150-strong Gendarmerie Companies:

• Command Platoon (50 Gendarmes);
• Services Company (100 Gendarmes);
• Gendarmerie Company 1 (150 Gendarmes);
• Gendarmerie Company 2 (150 Gendarmes);
• Gendarmerie Company 3 (150 Gendarmes).

1st Gendarmerie Regiment "Gorgor"

Coat of arms of the 1st Gendarmerie Regiment "Gorgor"

The 1st Gendarmerie Regiment "Gorgor" (Somali: Gandarmaariiga Guutada 1aad "Gorgor"; Italian: 1° Reggimento della Gendarmeria "Aquile") inherits traditions from the Celere Police Unit. The name is Somali for "Eagles". The Regiment has five Battalions and consists of:

• Regimental Command and Command Company: Mogadiscio;
• 1st Battalion: Mogadiscio;
• 2nd Battalion: Belet Uen;
• 3rd Battalion: Chismaio;
• 4th Battalion: Merca;
• 5th Battalion: Obbia.

2nd Gendarmerie Regiment "Seef iyo Gaashaan"

Coat of arms of the 2nd Gendarmerie Regiment "Seef iyo Gaashaan".

The 2nd Gendarmerie Regiment "Seef iyo Gaashaan" (Somali: Gandarmaariiga Guutada 2aad "Seef iyo Gaashaan"; Italian: 2° Reggimento della Gendarmeria "Scudo e Spada") is successor of the Mobile Border Nucleus. The name is Somali for "Sword and Shield". The Regiment has five Battalions and consists of:

• Regimental Command and Command Company: Rocca Littorio;
• 1st Battalion: Rocca Littorio;
• 2nd Battalion: Bosaso;
• 3rd Battalion: Berbera;
• 4th Battalion: Borama;
• 5th Battalion: Gibuti.

Dervish Police Regiment

Coat of arms of the Dervish Police Regiment

The Dervish Police Regiment (Somali: Darawishta Poliska Guutada, Italian: Reggimento di Polizia Derviscia), named after the Dervish movement, is the Somali Gendarmerie organisation tasked with operating all specialist and elite tactical units. The Regiment consists of:

• Regimental Command, based in Rocca Littorio;
• 1 Helicopter Squadrons Group, based in Garoe;
• 1 Patrol Battalion, based in Rocca Littorio, with:
  • 2 Long Range Patrol Companies, based in Iscia Baidoa and in Rocca Littorio, also available for military needs.
• 1 Special Intervention Battalion "Haramcad", based in Garoe, with:
  • 1 Special Intervention Company, based in Garoe, with tactical police duties over all Somalia;
  • 1 Support Company, based in Garoe.

Personnel and training

Since the early 1960s, Gendarmerie recruits have to be seventeen to twenty-five years of age, of high moral caliber, and physically fit. All training activities are framed and coordinated by the Training Command. After the recruits complete this service, the Gendarmerie could request renewal of their contracts. Officer cadets underwent a two-years long training course that emphasize supervision of police field performance. Subofficers and Officers are also politically motivated.

Requirements

Recruitment takes place for Officers and Gendarmes by competitive examination. Candidates are recruited as Cadet officer or Cadet Gendarme.

Access to the police officer competition is subject to the presentation of the diploma of enrolment to the fascist parties (Somali or Italian ones). No one may take an entrance examination more than three times. Any candidate for a job in the Somali Gendarmerie must meet the following conditions:

• Be of Somali or Italian nationality;
• Have colonial Italian or metropolitan Italian citizenship;
• Know how to read and write Italian or Somali (Gendarmes) and know how to read and write Italian, Somali, and Arabic (Officers);
• Be at least 18 years old and at most 25 years old;
• Have the minimum height of 1,63 m;
• Be recognized as fit, after medical examination, for active service;
• Be good conduct, behaviour and morality in civil and political life.

No one may take the competitive entrance examination for the Gendarmerie if:

• He does not enjoy his civic rights;
• He incurred expulsion from the relevant fascist party;
• He has incurred a custodial sentence, even with a suspended sentence;
• He has been dismissed by disciplinary measure from a public service or establishment.

Training Command

The Training Command, based in Mogadiscio, is the body in charge for troops and officers training and professional development. It consits of:

• Commander
  • Staff;
  • Security Consultative Commission;
• Officers Development School (Mogadiscio);
• Cadet Subofficers School (Iscia Badoa);
• Cadet Gendarmes Schools (Mogadiscio and Chismaio).

Security Consultive Commission

In order to coordinate and synchronize police training activities and other professional development related activities provided to the Somali Gendarmerie, the Security Consultive Commission is a consultive body serving as a permanent board for the coordination and synchronization of police training activities. The Commission is also entitled to certify, review or audit police training activities. The Security Consultive Commission is chaired by the Commander, Training Command. Members of the development board include 10 delegates from the Somali Gendarmerie and 4 representatives from the Regia Guardia di Finanza and the Royal Carabinieri.

Issues

The functioning of the Somali Gendarmerie is seen as problematic, especially regarding corruption, clan-based favouritism, lack of impartiality, and human rights violations.

Small arms within the general population

Recent investigations on small arms availability in Somalia indicates that some 70 per cent of households own small arms, about 73 per cent of which are assault rifles. While the public display of guns is not tolerated and is rarely seen in urban areas, and although a gun registration system exists, Somali society continues to be heavily armed.

Ranks and Inisgnia

Cap emblem of the Somali Gendarmerie.

The Somali Gendarmerie is led by a Major General with Special Duties of the Somali Gendarmerie. When the General-Inspector of the Militarized Police Corps or the Chief of Police conduct their inspections and visits, they wear the relevant Italian uniform. From a graphic point of view, the officer insignia pattern are loosely inspired to the Italian trend, with the Italian Towered Crown (symbol of the Itaian State) being replaced by the Somalian seal.
All officer rank insignia feature the Star insignia as basic component. As a whole, the Somali Gendarmerie is a State military corps, like the Royal Police Corps or the Royal Carabinieri, and is part of the Italian military system, although its State is Somalia within the Italian Empire, and not the Kingdom of Italy strictu sensu.
A common feature for all ranks is the round cap emblem, featuring the Latin wording "GAANDARMARIIGA - WAX DAN AH KAMA".

Somali Gendarmerie military officers ranks and insignia
Somali Gendarmerie rank	Sarreeye Labaad	Sarreeye	Dhame	Gaashaanle	Gaashanke Dhexe	Kornayl	Guutada Guud	Guud Ahaan Guud
Italian translation	Sottotenente	Tenente	Capitano	Maggiore	Tenente Colonnello	Colonnello	Brigadier Generale	Maggior Generale
English translation	Second Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant Colonel	Colonel	Brigadier General	Major General
Republican Police Corps rank	Sottotenente	Tenente	Capitano	Maggiore	Tenente Colonnello	Colonnello	Brigadier Generale	Maggior Generale
Corresponding Army rank (Italian)	Sottotenente	Tenente	Capitano	Maggiore	Tenente Colonnello	Colonnello	Generale di Brigata	Generale di Divisione
Corresponding Army rank (British)	Second Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant Colonel	Colonel	Brigadier	Major-General
Shoulder board insignia

Somali Gendarmerie Subofficers ranks and insignia
Somali Gendarmerie rank	Kormeere	Madaxa Kormeere	Kormeeraha Sare
Republican Police Corps rank	Maresciallo di P.S.	Maresciallo Capo di P.S.	Maresciallo Maggiore di P.S.
Italian translation	Ispettore	Ispettore Capo	Ispettore Superiore
English translation	Inspector	Chief Inspector	Senior Inspector
Corresponding Army rank (Italian)	Maresciallo	Maresciallo Capo	Maresciallo Maggiore
Corresponding Army rank (British)	Warrant Officer Class Two	Warrant Officer Second Class	Warrant Officer First Class
Shoulder board insignia

Somali Gendarmerie Enlisted ranks and insignia
Somali Gendarmerie rank	Boolis	Laba-Alifle	Saajin	Saajin Waaweyn
Republican Police Corps rank	Agente	Appuntato	Vicebrigadiere	Brigadiere
English translation	Constable	Corporal	Sergeant	Sergeant Major
Italian translation	Soldato	Caporale	Sergente	Sergente Maggiore
Corresponding Army rank (Italian)	Soldato	Caporale maggiore	Sergente	Sergente Maggiore
Corresponding Army rank (British)	Private	Corporal	Sergeant	Staff Sergeant
Sleeve insignia	No insignia
Shoulder board insignia

See also

• Somali Social Republic (Kingdom of Italy)
• Somali National Republican Guard (Italian Empire)
• Law enforcement in the Italian Empire