Law enforcement in the Azores is part of the law enforcement in Portugal. The atlantic archipelago of

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

constitutes one of the two

autonomous regions of Portugal The two Autonomous Regions of Portugal from 1999 ( pt, Regiões Autónomas de Portugal) are the Azores (''Região Autónoma dos Açores'') and Madeira (''Região Autónoma da Madeira''). Together with Continental Portugal (''Portugal Continenta ...

, with a number of devolved powers being performed by its Regional Government. However, the law enforcement in the region remains mainly under the responsibility of the Central Government of Portugal, being performed by the several Portuguese national police agencies. There are, however, minor law enforcement agencies dependent from the Regional Government of Azores like the

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

police and the sanitary, food and economical police. Also, at the end of 2009,

Ponta Delgada Ponta Delgada (; ) is the largest municipality ('' concelho'') and economic capital of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal. It is located on São Miguel Island, the largest and most populous in the archipelago. As of 2021, it has 67, ...

became the first city of a Portuguese autonomous region to create its own

municipal police Municipal police, city police, or local police are law enforcement agencies that are under the control of local government. This includes the municipal government, where it is the smallest administrative subdivision. They receive funding ...

force. The several law enforcement agencies that operate in the Azores police a population of 240,000 people over an area of 2,333 km².News articl
''The 'old ways' have changed in the old country''
1995, retrieved May 29, 2007

National law enforcement agencies operating in the Azores

Public Security Police In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

(PSP) - Regional Command of the Azores: responsible for the preventive police in the region. In contrast to what happens in

Mainland Portugal Continental Portugal ( pt, Portugal continental, ) or mainland Portugal comprises the bulk of the Portuguese Republic, namely that part on the Iberian Peninsula and so in Continental Europe, having approximately 95% of the total population and 9 ...

- where PSP only operates in the main urban metropolitan areas and cities - in Azores it is also responsible for rural policing; # National Republican Guard (GNR) - Territorial Command of the Azores: responsible for customs, border and maritime patrol. In contrast to what happens in Mainland Portugal, GNR has not rural policing responsibilities in Azores. Except for a brief period in the 1940s and 1950s operating only as

military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...

, GNR was not present in Azores until 1993, when it absorbed the former

Fiscal Guard , mottotranslated = For the Motherland and for the Law , formedyear = 1885 , formedmonthday = September 17 , preceding1 = Barrier guards ({{italic correction, {{lang, pt, Guardas barreiras ) , dissolved = 1993 , superseding ...

, including its units and responsibilities in the archipelago; #

Judicial Police The judicial police, judiciary police, or justice police are (depending on both country and legal system) either a branch, separate police agency or type of duty performed by law enforcement structures in a country. The term judiciary police is mo ...

(PJ) - Criminal Investigation Department of Ponta Delgada: responsible for the criminal investigation related with serious crimes; # Foreign and Border Service (SEF) - Regional Directory of the Azores: responsible for border and immigration control.

Notes

Enforcement Enforcement is the proper execution of the process of ensuring compliance with laws, regulations, rules, standards, and social norms. Governments attempt to effectuate successful implementation of policies by enforcing laws and regulations. En ...

{{Azores-stub

National law enforcement agencies operating in the Azores

See also

Notes