The ''Guardia Urbana de Buenos Aires'' (Buenos Aires Urban Guard) was a specialized civilian force of the city of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, that used to deal with different urban conflicts with the objective of develop actions of prevention, dissuasion and mediation, promoting effective behaviors that guarantee the security and the integrity of public order and social coexistence. The unit continuously assisted the personnel of the
Argentine Federal Police
The Argentine Federal Police ( es, Policía Federal Argentina or PFA) is the national civil police force of the Argentine federal government. The PFA has detachments throughout the country. Until January 1, 2017, it also acted as the local la ...
, especially in emergency situations, events of massive concurrence, and protection of
tourist establishments.
The group permanently did controls of
seat belt use,
blood alcohol content tests, and
traffic order; also its agents are enabled to offer quick and objective information to
tourists
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mo ...
and foreign people. Other functions include take part when a public case of intentional damage or negligence happen; anyway, its personnel always must act in a preventive, educative, dissuasive and coordinated form.
The Urban Guard officials did not carry any weapon in the performing of their duties. Their basic tools are an HT radio transmissor and a whistle.
As of March, 2008, the Guardia Urbana was removed. Its people were "recycled" into a new law enforcement organization, about traffic order called the Seguridad Vial.
Ranks
Ranks of the Urban Guard were novel and had a maritime theme, reflecting Buenos Aires' status as a major port.
The ranks (in Spanish followed by English) were:
* Brigadier Comisionado en Jefe, "Commissioned Brigadier-in-Chief" (only used on one occasion)
* Comodoro General, "Commodore General"
* Comodoro, "
Commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore ...
"
* Vice-comodoro, "Vice-Commodore"
* Edecán Mayor, "Aide-de-camp Major"
* Edecán, "
Aide-de-camp"
* Inspector Porteño, "
Porteño
In Spanish, the term (feminine: ''Porteña'') means "port city person". It is used to refer to residents of port cities such as Buenos Aires, Argentina; El Puerto de Santa María, Spain; Valparaíso, Chile; Mazatlán, Veracruz, Acapulco and Tamp ...
Inspector"
* Grumete Furriel, "Quartermaster Shipmate"
* Grumete-Tropa, "Troop Shpimate"
* Aprendiz de los Buenos Aires, "Buenos Aires Apprentice"
See also
*
Argentine Federal Police
The Argentine Federal Police ( es, Policía Federal Argentina or PFA) is the national civil police force of the Argentine federal government. The PFA has detachments throughout the country. Until January 1, 2017, it also acted as the local la ...
*
Buenos Aires Police
*
Santa Fe Province Police
*
Interior Security System
External links
Official website
{{Law enforcement agencies of Argentina
Defunct law enforcement agencies of Argentina