On the shoulders of
Uruguay police lay the paramount responsibility of the security of the inhabitants of Uruguay. Maintaining peace in the country is also the responsibility of the
Uruguay Police. The National Uruguay Police was formed in the year 1829, just after the independence of Uruguay. Each Department is headed by a Police Chief. According to the Article 173 of the Constitution of Uruguay, the President has the power to appoint the Chief of the Police of each department and remove him at his will.
The national police in Uruguay are subordinate to the Ministry of Interior. The National Police can be categorized into the following operating agencies, which have separate administration. :
- Montevideo Police
- Interior Police
- National Traffic Police
- National Corps of Firemen
The five operational and administrative divisions of Montevideo Police of Uruguay include:
- Investigation
- Security
- Support services
- Intelligence
- Legal affairs
The Interior police are given the responsibility of coordinating activities of the police forces of each department. The national Traffic police are given the responsibility of controlling traffic on the road ways of Uruguay while the National Corps of Firemen were assigned the responsibility of fire prevention.
Republican guard and the Metropolitan guard are the two paramilitary forces assigned to the capital to control disturbances and to combat emergencies in the country.
