Popular Guards
| Popular Guards Gardes Populaires (French) | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | PG |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1958 |
| Superseding agency | Free Territories militias |
| Employees | 20.000 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Federal agency | Gylias |
| Operations jurisdiction | Gylias |
 | |
| Map of Popular Guards' jurisdiction | |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Overviewed by | Inspectorate of Police |
| Headquarters | Nazrin, Envadra |
| Parent agency | Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Security |
| Website | |
| http://www.gypol.gls/ | |
The Popular Guards (French: Gardes Populaires) are the federal police tactical units of Gylias. They perform specialised law enforcement duties, which include counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, guarding important buildings and people, and protecting the national infrastructure. Their organisation and training has some similarities to a gendarmerie, and they are popularly regarded as being "halfway between the Gylian Police and Gylian Self-Defense Forces".
History
The Popular Guards were established in 1958, as an amalgamation of various militias that had performed law enforcement duties in the Free Territories. They were separated from the Gylian Police due to fears that their specialisation would clash with the police's anarchist background.
Duties
The Popular Guards carry out specialised law enforcement duties, such as:
- Counter-terrorism
- Hostage rescue
- Protection of national infrastructure, important buildings, and officials
- Protection of visiting dignitaries
- Assisting the protection of the constitutional order
- Assisting with emergency management
- Guarding social quarantine areas
They have completed the majority of their missions since foundation without needing to discharge their weapons.
Personnel
The Popular Guards have around 20.000 members as of 2017. Training is similar to the police in the aspect of weeding out authoritarian personalities, and to the GSDF in terms of preparedness.
Uniform
Popular Guards generally wear slate-grey uniforms.
Training
Training for the Popular Guards emphasises mental ability and self-control in addition to physical strength. The training process includes:
- Weapons handling
- Combat shooting and marksmanship
- Hand-to-hand combat
- Undercover surveillance and support
- Infiltration and escape
- Explosive devices neutralisation
- Diplomacy and negotiation skills
Equipment
The Popular Guards receive weapons training, but their use is only sanctioned in the event of an emergency. Their armed equipment can include:
The weaponry issued to Popular Guards is restricted compared to the GSDF, in order to avoid militarisation of police.
Organisation
The Popular Guards are an administrative agency responsible to the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Public Security. They are overseen by the Inspectorate of Police for police accountability purposes.
Each region has its own Popular Guard unit.
At the federal level, the Popular Guards have several bureaus:
- Special Intervention Bureau
- Protection and Security Bureau
- Investigative Assistance Bureau
- Emergency Situations Bureau
- Training Bureau
- Public Information Bureau
Each bureau in turn has specialised subdivisions related to its responsibilities.
Internal democracy
The Popular Guards use direct democracy internally. Policy is discussed and agreed upon at mass assemblies, with commanders being elected and recallable. Rules are approved by mass assemblies, and command is based on imparting an understanding of why an order must be obeyed.
Ranks
The Popular Guards use the following ranks, from lowest to highest:
- Guard
- Corporal
- Brigadier
- Captain
- Colonel
- Major
Ranks are distinguished by insignia.