Mossos d'Esquadra
This article may require Minister of the Interior | |
Agency executive |
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Facilities | |
Stations | 106[2] |
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mossos.gencat.cat |
The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan pronunciation:
They trace their origins back to squads formed in 1719.[3]
History
On 21 July 1950 the Deputation of Barcelona was authorised to create a small security force using the historical title Mossos d'Esquadra. These new Mossos were a militarized corps having little similarity to the earlier incarnations, with limited powers and small numbers, which was in charge of protecting the government buildings of the Province of Barcelona. With the return of democracy to Spain, the Mossos d'Esquadra grew in number and powers. Since 25 October 1980 the force has been under the authority of the Generalitat de Catalunya (the Government of Catalonia).
Previous Catalan forces
The Escuadras de Paisanos, later known as the Esquadres de Catalunya, (and informally known as the Mossos d'Esquadra), were
It was manned by local people, who had to speak
They were reinstated in 1876 under the reign of Isabella's son king
Current role
The Mossos d'Esquadra have now replaced
The
- Public safety and public order.
- Administrative policing, including that deriving from State regulations.
- Judicial policing and criminal investigation, including the various forms of organised crime and terrorism, in the terms established by law.
- Patrolling and ensuring the safety of highways within Catalonia.
The Mossos d'Esquadra are a police force of the
The sidearms officers can pick from are the
The Mossos are trained in the Institut de Seguretat Pública de Catalunya (Public Safety Institute of Catalonia), which also trains local police officers.
Insignia | No insignia | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Title | Major | Comissari | Intendent | Inspector | Sotsinspector | Sergent | Caporal | Mosso |
English translation | Major | Commissioner | Intendent
|
Inspector | Lieutenant | Sergeant | Corporal | Constable |
Special intervention group (GEI)
Special intervention group (GEI) in Catalan: Grup Especial d'Intervenció. The Special Intervention Groups AGEI (or simply GEI) is a Mossos d'Esquadra body specialized in interventions with a high risk of armed violence (such as terrorist detention, rescues of hostages, VIP protection, etc.). This group is under the command of the Intervention Division. In the USA the equivalent to this type of police is SWAT.
This group was created in 1984 with the collaboration of
Later the GEI worked with the Special Operations Group (GEO) of the National Police Corps in 1991, which advised on various matters.
Becoming part of this force is not at all easy and it is necessary to pass a selection process that lasts one whole year: Up to 350 candidates applied to the intake in 2009, but only 11 were selected as suitable. The first phase, of a physical nature, consists of several tests of strength and resistance, medical and psychotechnical; It was then passed by 42 agents. The difficult phase of adaptation consists in an intense multidisciplinary training in which for 30 days the candidates are in isolation and suffer hard tests of physical resistance and sacrifice, in conditions of great hunger, sleep, cold and stress:[8] Aspiring candidates have to overcome situations of high risk (such as throwing themselves into a void, carrying out a bridge jump without hesitation or screaming or showing fear, ...), vertigo situations, claustrophobia, a melée (although failure of this stage does not automatically mean elimination), thinking exercises during exhaustion (solving a puzzle after hours without sleep), etc. Out of the 2009 intake this phase was passed by 11 candidates. Then comes a third phase of training, of 750 hours (which actually ends up at more than 1000), to be carried out during the following six months. Finally the fourth and final phase is the period of practice, in which the aspirants are already integrated into the activities of the AGEI, which lasts for three months,[9] which was only surpassed by 9 agents (2.6% of the total). Currently approximately 400 agents are formed, all that is related to this area is secret.
Armament
The force has a large quantity and variety of weapons. Each of the weapons is assigned only to one GEI The long list includes:
Pistols
- P30 Pistol – 9×19mm Parabellum.
- HK USP– 9×19mm Parabellum.
- 5.7×28mm.
- Walther P99 9x19mm
Submachine guns
- MP-5 sub-machine gun– 9×19mm Parabellum.
- FN P90– 5.7×28mm.
- 4.6×30mm.
Assault rifles
- HK G-36 – 5.56×45mm NATO.
- FN SCAR – 7.62×51mm NATO.
- HK 417 – 7.62×51mm NATO.
Shotguns
- Remington 870 – 12 gauge.
Sniper rifles
- Heckler & Koch PSG1 – 7.62×51mm NATO.
- SAKO TRG-22– 7.62×51mm NATO.
- M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System – 7.62×51mm NATO.
- AMP DSR-1 – .338 Lapua Magnum.
Of course, other equipment such as helmets, protection goggles, various types of vests (ballistic, antitrauma, among others), batons, battering rams to breach doors, ballistic shields, fiber optic cameras and many others.
In the most common interventions each one is equipped with a sub-machine gun and two pistols.
Vehicles
- The Mossos have several vehicles, for both patrol and undercover operations. These vehicles are high-powered SUVs, vans, motorbikes and 4x4 vehicles. They also have helicopters and drones for aerial operations.
Controversies and legal cases
Controversies related to the Mossos d'Esquadra include:
- In 2008 three Mossos were condemned to six years of imprisonment for the torture and injury of an alleged delinquent who was later proven not guilty.
- In 2016 six agents were detained for their involvement in a cardiac failure of a businessman in the Raval neighbourhood.[13]
- In 2017, the central government suspended the Chief of Police Major Trapero during the 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis, and also placed the force under investigation. The Mossos were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing and Trapero was reinstated.[14]
Gallery
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Patrol car.
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Maritime unit of Mossos d'Esquadra.
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Old patrol car of the Mossos.
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Special Intervention Group of the Mossos.
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Mossos of the public order unit (BRIMO) in a protest.
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Uniform to go through the sewers.
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Mosso d'Esquadra in dress uniform.
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1714–1719, the soldiers are Mossos d'Esquadra.
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Forest tracking in XIX century.
See also
- Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona
- Corps of Firefighters of Catalonia
- Declaration of Independence of Catalonia
- Military History Of Catalonia
- Sherwood Syndrome
References
- ^ Statistical Institute of Catalonia (9 April 2021). "Autonomous Police – Mossos d'Esquadra. Members. By sex and rank. Areas". Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ^ Mossos d'Esquadra. "Police stations". Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ^ "La nostra història". Mossos d'Esquadra (in Catalan). Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "El desplegament de la Policia de la Generalitat – Mossos d'Esquadra" [The deployment of Police of the Generalitat – Catalan police] (PDF) (in Catalan). Catalonia, Spain: Generalitat de Catalunya. November 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011.
- ^ Statue of Autonomy of Catalonia 2006, Article 164.5 on Public Security
- ^ "Funcions de la Policia de la Generalitat – Mossos d'Esquadra" [Functions of the Police of the Generalitat – Catalan police] (PDF) (in Catalan). Catalonia, Spain: Generalitat de Catalunya. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ^ "Catalonia referendum defies Spanish obstruction". BBC News. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
- ^ "El GEI ha fet en 20 anys més de 230 assalts[permanent dead link]" (escrit) i "Reportatge: Grup Especial d'Intervenció dels Mossos[permanent dead link]" (oral); Cadena SER Ràdio Barcelona; 5 de juny de 2011; [darrera consulta: 30 d'agost de 2011]
- ISBN 978-84-937740-7-3; p. 119-130
- ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ ABC (15 December 2009). "El TS rebaja la pena a los "mossos" condenados por torturas a un detenido | Cataluña | Cataluña – Abc.es". ABC. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Razón, La. "El Gobierno indulta de nuevo a cuatro Mossos condenados por torturas". www.larazon.es (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "Los mossos del "caso Benítez" acuerdan a última hora una pena mínima para librarse de la cárcel". abc (in European Spanish). Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Shields, Cillian. "Trapero and former Catalan police leadership acquitted by Spain's National Court". www.catalannews.com-gb. Retrieved 26 January 2021.