Chilean Gendarmerie

Chilean Army units were used for policing and guarding prisons from the time of Chile's independence. Chile's first "professional" prison was built in Santiago in 1843. In 1871 the "Special Guard" was created (Guardia Especial) which was Chile's first prison service separate from the army.

A Gendarme battalion, the Bulnes Battalion, fought as part of the Chilean Army during the War of the Pacific.

In 1892, under the government of Admiral Jorge Montt, the service was called "Special Guards of the Prisons of Chile" (Guardias Especiales de las Prisiones de Chile) and was responsible for prisons, executions, and prisoner transport.

In 1911, under the government of Ramón Barros Luco, the Special Guards experienced some reforms and the title "Prison Gendarmerie Corps" was adopted (Cuerpo de Gendarmería de Prisiones). It had the additional duty of guarding prisoners in court. The vast majority of members of this new service were seconded from the Army, including officers and other ranks - the very reason for the current military heritage of today's organization. A law was passed in 1921, Law N° 3.815, concerning the organization of the service. (From 1930 until today November 30 - the day the law took effect after its approval - is considered to be the anniversary of the Gendarmerie.)

A Prison Gendarmerie School was established in 1928 to train personnel, and from 1944 onward, became the officer training school of the service.

From 1929 until 1931, the service was part of the Carabiniers of Chile, the national Gendarmerie proper. During this time, it was known within the carabiniers as the Prison Service, and its members were "Prison Carabiniers". From 1931, the title "Prison Service" was used, and the service regained its independence.

In 1944 an academy was founded, called the Penitentiary School of Chile, which in 1954 became the Technical School of Prison Security Services.

During the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte, the current title of "Gendarmería de Chile" was adopted, and a new grey-green uniform was adopted which was inspired by German army uniforms of World War II. The Gendarmerie's Penological Education Academy, the staff college of the service for all junior officers, was established in 1997.

The Chilean Gendarmerie is a service which is influenced by and actively maintains its historic links with the Chilean army. As a result, it is an armed uniformed service of a military character, and it is organized on a military basis using ranks. However the rank of Director General can be filled by either a veteran officer of the force in either case under the appointment and confidence of the President. The current rank system dates from 2010 and is based on the historical ranks of the service. It is a military institution that since its inception has provided security to the country.

Rank insignia

Dress	High Command		Senior officers	Head officers		Junior officers				Student officers
Uniform coat
Shirt Raincoat Parka
Inside
Ranks	Director nacional	Subdirector operativo	Coronel	Teniente coronel	Mayor	Capitán	Teniente 1°	Teniente 2°	Subteniente	Aspirante a oficial
Abbreviation	DIREC NAC	SDO	CRNL	TTE CRNL	MAY	CAP	TTE 1°	TTE 2°	SUB TTE	A.A.O.O

Dress	Warrant Officer	NCOs			Corporals			Gendarms			Students
Uniform coat
Shirt Raincoat Parka
Inside
Ranks	Suboficial Mayor	Suboficial	Sargento 1°	Sargento 2°	Cabo 1º	Cabo 2º	Cabo	Gendarme 1°	Gendarme 2°	Gendarme	Gendarme Alumno

• Carabineros de Chile
• Investigations Police of Chile
• Crime in Chile

• Official website