Constabulary

Constabulary

• 1. A civil police force organized and trained along military lines, which is the usual definition in British based police traditions. For Example the Royal Irish Constabulary , Royal Irish Constabulary, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, Royal Canadian Mounted Police etc.

• 2. A gendarmerie (military) type force consisting of soldiers trained for police duties. These were mostly established by the United states in the several countries it had protective status over. For example the Philippine Constabulary, The United States Constabulary, Nicaraguan National Guard, the Panama National Guard. Please note that these forces also performed military functions by maintaining "mobile forces" of organised units.

Note that the British style constabularies were based on the French gendarmerie but originally consisted of military personnel seconded to the constaulary with the recruitment of military veterans and later becam all civilian forces after they were well established.

The prior existence of gendarmerie derived forces in Europe is also noted.