Law enforcement in Belmonte

A Civil Guard vehicle in Riachuelo.

In Belmonte, there are several institutions tasked with maintaining law in order on the entirety of the country, being part of the National Public Security System either as a federal, provincial or municipal forces. Despite its main priority is to enforce the law within the national perimeter, there are other institutions tasked with other priorities such as the maintenance of penal order and intelligence and counter-terrorism activities.

History

The first law enforcement agencies of Belmonte were created when the country was still fighting its independence war against Gaullica, when the first rebel militias, led by nationalist leaders, were established. Once the war ended, those militias, under the oligarchic confederation in an extensively decentralized system, were charged with maintaining order and the goodwill of regional elites, a situation which remained until the Federalist Revolt. With the establishment of the First Belmontese Republic, a single federal agency separated from the Armed Forces, the National Force, was created, being the only police force for the remaining of the 19th century.

It was only during the 40s that reforms were enacted, with the National Force becoming a riot police while law enforcement itself would be decentralized once again to municipal governments with provincial and federal assistance. To maximise such assistance, the National Public Security System would be created in 1981, emphasizing cooperation between municipal, provincial and federal governments.

Primary functions

The primary functions of police agencies are, according to the constitution, to enforce public order and the law over the country.

National Public Security System

The National Public Security System (Luzelese: Sistema Nacional de Segurança Pública, SNSP) was created in 1981 during the premiership of Félix Bragança to increase cooperation and assistance between federal, provincial and municipial law enforcement agencies, being headed by a director-general as part of the Secretary of Justice and Public Security.

Federal institutions

• The Federal Police is the main federal agency of Belmonte, responsible for combating crimes against federal institutions and their property, drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime, as well as responsible for immigration and border control. It is subdivided into three major departments:
  • The Federal Road Police is responsible with the maintenance and patrol of motorways, not investigating crimes but instead tasked of maintaining order;
  • The Federal Rail Police is tasked with the surveillance of railways, though is not able to investigate crimes as well;
  • The Federal Penal Police is responsible for the control of federal prisons.
• The National Force is the oldest law enforcement agency in the country, having received a wide range of functions throughout its history. Currently, it acts as the country's riot police under presidential control, being mainly used in cases of national unrest.

Provincial institutions

There are no police agencies in the provincial sphere, with most law enforcement agencies being under municipal control. Instead, it's the responsibility of provincial governments to offer assistance alongside the Federal Government through the SNSP to them.

Municipal institutions

• The Civil Guard is the main law enforcement agency of Belmonte, responsible for the daily maintenance of public order whilst acting as a preventive, detective and forensic police force. It is entirely under the charge of municipal governments despite receiving full provincial and federal support.

Other security forces

• The National Information Service, also known by its abbreviation SNI, is the national intelligence agency of Belmonte, acting closely with the Federal Police and being responsible for espionage and counter-espionage activities.

Misconduct

Police misconduct, especially in the form of abuse, has been a serious problem within Belmontese society in general. According to an international report made by the International Council for Democracy (ICD) in 2019, the Castelonovo Civil Guard is the "second most repressive" in Belmonte after Guanabara, and ranks as one of the police that most kill in the world, a trend which is also seen in other major cities, contributing even more to other national social issues such as racism, poverty and social inequality.

See also

• Crime in Belmonte