Uruguay
| Author | George Kurian |
| Pages | 1063-1065 |
Page 1063
Official country name: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Capital: Montevideo
Geographic description: Located in southern South America on the northern bank of the Río de la Plata
Population: 3,415,920 (est. 2005)
The National Police of Uruguay was established in December 1829, a year after the country gained its independence, following the war between Brazil and Argentina. Article 168 of the 1967 constitution gives the president, acting through the minister of the interior, the responsibility for preserving public order. Article 173 authorizes him to appoint a chief of police for each of the nineteen departments, whom he may remove at will. These officers must have the same qualifications as senators.
The basic responsibility for law enforcement is divided between the National Police and the Maritime Police. The National Police is under the authority of the Ministry of Interior, which has the responsibility for public safety throughout the country except for the coastal areas and the shores of navigable rivers and lakes. The ministry is organized into four operating agencies (Montevideo Police, Interior Police, Highway Police, and National Corps of Firemen), three staff units (General Administration, Immigration Directorate, and Employees' Appeal Board), and a nationwide communications net. The annual police budget is about 5 percent of the national budget. Approximately 40 percent of the police force is assigned to urban areas, and the remainder to rural settlements. The chief of police of Montevideo controls three paramilitary organizations as well: the Republican Guard, the Metropolitan Guard, and the National Corps of Firemen.
The Republican Guard is a mounted unit with a strength of about 500 men and officers and commanded by an army officer. It is organized into a headquarters and service squadron of about 120 men, and two cavalry squadrons of about 190 men each. Its personnel are armed with sabers. The cavalry units are used for guard duty at police headquarters, for parades and ceremonial occasions, and for riot duty as a backup for the national police.
The Metropolitan Guard is a special elite force, with about 1,000 men in infantry-type units. Its equipment consists of machine guns, gas weapons, and fire hoses, all designed for riot situations and controlling crowds. Its
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members are distinguished by special training, and they are assigned as guards at public buildings such as the presidential palace and the General Assembly buildings and as escorts...
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