Editing Public Force of Costa Rica

{{Short description|National police of Costa Rica}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname        = Public Force of Costa Rica
| nativename        = {{lang|es|Fuerza Pública de Costa Rica}}
| commonname        = 
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| fictional         = 
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| logo              = Public Force of Costa Rica emblem.svg
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| formedmonthday    = 
| formedyear        = {{start date and age|1996}}
| preceding1        = <!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| dissolved         = 
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| employees         = 
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| budget            = 
| legalpersonality  = 
| country           = Costa Rica
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| police            = yes
| gendarmerie       = yes
| speciality1       = border
| speciality2       = paramilitary
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| parentagency      = Ministry of Public Security
| child1agency      = [[Air Vigilance Service]]
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| provideragency    = 
| uniformedas       = 
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| anniversary1      = 1 December (Army Abolition Day)
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->| award1            = <!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| website           = {{official URL}}
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}}

The '''Public Force of Costa Rica''' ({{langx|es|Fuerza Pública de Costa Rica}}) is the national [[law enforcement agency]] of [[Costa Rica]], whose duties include [[internal security]] and [[border control]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Costa Rica 1949 (rev. 2011)|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Costa_Rica_2011?lang=en#38|website=Constitute|access-date=28 April 2015}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Museo Nacional CR 2.JPG|thumb|Cuartel Bellavista, today Museo Nacional de Costa Rica.]]

On 1 December 1948, the [[President of Costa Rica]], [[José Figueres Ferrer]], abolished the Costa Rican military after his victory in the [[Costa Rican Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elespiritudel48.org/docu/h013.htm|author=El Espíritu del 48|title=Abolición del Ejército|access-date=2008-03-09}} (Spanish)</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Booth|first=John A.|date=2021-02-23|title=Costa Rica: Demilitarization and Democratization|url=https://oxfordre.com/politics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-1888|access-date=2021-02-27|website=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics|language=en|doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1888|isbn=9780190228637}}</ref>
In a ceremony at the national capital of [[San José, Costa Rica|San José]], Figueres symbolically broke a wall with a [[mallet]], symbolizing an end to the military's existence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/patrimonio/historia-militar-de-costa-rica-revive-con-los-100-anos-del-cuartel-bellavista/RUBEBERUT5EMNLNNCCPPKVBIWI/story/|title=Historia militar de Costa Rica revive con los 100 años del Cuartel Bellavista|work=La Nación, Grupo Nación|access-date=2018-09-04|language=es-LA}}</ref> In 1949, the abolition of the Costa Rican military was introduced in [[Article 12 of the Constitution of Costa Rica]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1553931/air-advisors-conduct-first-ever-bpc-mission-in-costa-rica/|title=Air Advisors conduct first-ever BPC mission in Costa Rica|work=U.S. Air Force|access-date=2018-09-04|language=en-US}}</ref> The budget previously dedicated to the military is now dedicated to security, education and culture. Costa Rica maintains Police Guard forces. The museum {{lang|es|[[Museo Nacional de Costa Rica]]}} was placed in the {{lang|es|Cuartel Bellavista}} as a symbol of commitment to culture. In 1986, President [[Oscar Arias Sánchez]] declared December 1 as the {{lang|es|Día de la Abolición del Ejército}} (Military abolition day) with Law #8115. Unlike its neighbors, Costa Rica has not endured a [[civil war]] since 1948. Costa Rica maintains small forces capable of law enforcement, but has no permanent [[standing army]].

===Public Force of the Ministry of Public Security (1996)===
In 1996, the Ministry of Public Security established the {{lang|es|Fuerza Pública}} or Public Force, a [[gendarmerie]] which reorganised and eliminated the [[Costa Rican Civil Guard|Civil Guard]], Rural Assistance Guard, and Frontier Guards as separate entities. They are now under the Ministry and operate on a geographic command basis performing ground [[security]], [[law enforcement]], [[counter-narcotics]], [[border patrol]], and tourism security functions. The Costa Rica Coast Guard also operates directly under the Ministry but is not a part of the Public Force proper.<ref>{{cite web|title=Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas|url=https://www.seguridadpublica.go.cr/direccion/guardacostas/index.aspx|website=Ministerio de Seguridad Pública Costa Rica|access-date=25 May 2020|language=es|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804060657/https://www.seguridadpublica.go.cr/direccion/guardacostas/index.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Outside the Fuerza Pública, there is a small [[Special Forces]] Unit, the [[Special Intervention Unit (Costa Rica)|Unidad Especial de Intervencion (UEI)]] or Special Intervention Unit, an elite [[commando]] force which trains with special forces from around the [[world]], but is not part of the main police forces. Instead, it is part of the Intelligence and Security Directorate (DIS) which reports directly to the Minister of the Presidency. About 70-member strong, it is organized along military lines, although officially it is a civilian police unit.

The motto of the Public Force is "God, Fatherland, and Honour." Commissioner of Police Juan José Andrade Morales serves as its current [[Commissioner General]].

==Ranks==
*Comisario de Policía/ Director general de la Fuerza Pública
*Comisionado de Policía
*Comandante de Policía
*Capitán de Policía
*Intendente
*Sub Intendente
*Sargento de Policía
*Inspector
*Agente 2
*Agente 1

==Equipment==

=== Small arms ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:90%;"
|-
! width=16%| Name
! width=10%| Image
! width=15%| Caliber
! width=12%| Type
! width=10%| Origin
! width=28%| Notes
|-
! colspan="6"| Pistols
|-
| [[IWI Jericho 941]]<ref>{{cite book|title=Central America Report|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cmezAAAAIAAJ|volume=24|year=1997|publisher=Inforpress Centroamericana|page=33}}</ref>
| [[File:Jericho 941F.jpg|150px]]
| rowspan="4" | [[9×19mm]]
| rowspan="5" | [[Semi-automatic pistol]]
| {{Flag|Israel}}
| 
|-
| [[Beretta 92]]
| [[File:Beretta 92 FS.gif|150px]]
| {{Flag|Italy}}
| 
|-
| [[Beretta M9]]
| [[File:M9-pistolet.jpg|150px]]
| {{Flag|United States}}<hr>{{Flag|Italy}}
| 
|-
| [[SIG Sauer P226]]
| [[File:Pistole SIG Sauer P226 S.jpg|150px]]
| {{Flag|Switzerland}}
| 
|-
| [[M1911]]<ref name="Hogg">{{cite book |last=Hogg |first=Ian |title=Jane's Infantry Weapons 1989–90, 15th Edition |publisher=[[Jane's Information Group]] |year=1989 |isbn=978-0-7106-0889-5 |pages=826–836}}</ref><ref name="FAS">{{cite web |url=https://fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/lainven.html |title=Latin American Light Weapons National Inventories |publisher=[[Federation of American Scientists]] |access-date=November 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022110744/http://www.fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/lainven.html |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |url-status=live }} Citing {{cite book |editor1-first=Terry J. |editor1-last=Gander |editor2-first=Ian V. |editor2-last=Hogg |editor2-link=Ian V. Hogg |title=Jane's Infantry Weapons, 1995–1996 |year=1995 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |edition=21st |isbn=9780710612410 |oclc=32569399}}</ref>
| [[File:M1911A1.png|150px]]
| [[.45 ACP]]
| rowspan="2" | {{flag|United States|1908}}
| 
|-
| [[Smith & Wesson Model 10]]<ref name="SupicaNahas2007">{{cite book|last1=Supica|first1=Jim|last2=Nahas|first2=Richard|title=Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D8qXdU45SCUC&pg=PA142|date=2007|publisher=F+W Media, Inc|location=Iola, Wisconsin|isbn=978-0-89689-293-4|pages=141–143, 174, 210–211}}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
| [[File:M&Prevolver.jpg|150px]]
| [[.38 Special]]
| [[Revolver]]
| 
|-
! colspan="6"| Sub-machine guns
|-
| [[Heckler & Koch MP5]]
| [[File:Heckler Koch MP5.jpg|150px]]
| rowspan="4" | [[9×19mm]]
| rowspan="4" | [[Submachine gun]]
| {{Flag|West Germany}}
| 
|-
| [[Uzi]]<ref name= 'bicc'>{{cite web|title=MP UZI|url=https://salw-guide.bicc.de/en/weapon/view/20|website=SALW Guide: Global distribution and visual identification|author1=Bonn International Center for Conversion|author-link1=Bonn International Center for Conversion|author2=Bundeswehr Verification Center|access-date=31 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831035754/https://salw-guide.bicc.de/en/weapon/view/20|archive-date=31 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
| [[File:Uzi of the israeli armed forces.jpg|150px]]
| {{Flag|Israel}}
| 
|-
| [[Beretta Model 38|MAB-38]]<ref name="Jones"/>
| [[File:Beretta 38 noBG.png|150px]]
| {{Flag|Kingdom of Italy}}
| 
|-
| [[Beretta M12]]<ref name = "Gander"/>
| 
| {{Flag|Italy}}
| 
|-
! colspan="6"| Rifles
|-
| [[M14 rifle|M14]]<ref name = "Gander"/>
| [[File:M14 Stand-off Munitions Disruptor (SMUD) (7414626342).jpg|150px]]
| rowspan="2" | [[7.62×51mm]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Battle rifle]]
| {{Flag|United States|1912}}
| 
|-
| [[FN FAL]]<ref name = "Gander">{{cite book|last = Gander| first = Jerry| title = Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002–2003 | publisher = Jane's Information Group| year = 2002| isbn =0-7106-2434-4 | pages =214, 899–906}}</ref>
| [[File:FN-FAL belgian.jpeg|150px]]
| {{Flag|Belgium}}
| 
|-
| [[SIG SG 550|SIG SG 556]]
| [[File:Sig 556 Classic.jpg|150px]]
| rowspan="7" | [[5.56×45mm]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| {{Flag|Switzerland}}
| 
|-
| [[IMI Galil]]<ref name = "Gander"/>
| [[File:Galil noBG.png|150px]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|Israel}}
| 
|-
| [[IWI Tavor]]
| [[File:IWI-Tavor-TAR-21w1.jpg|150px]]
| [[Bullpup]]<hr>[[Assault rifle]]
| 
|-
| [[Steyr AUG]]
| [[File:AUG A1 508mm 04.jpg|150px]]
| [[Bullpup]]<hr>[[Assault rifle]]
| {{Flag|Austria}}
| 
|-
| [[T65 assault rifle|T65]]<ref name=colt_customers>{{cite web |url=http://www.colt.com/mil/customers.asp |title=Customers / Weapon users |website=Colt Defense Weapon Systems |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902033712/http://www.colt.com/mil/customers.asp |archive-date=2 September 2011}}</ref>
| [[File:TwT65.JPG|150px]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| {{Flag|Taiwan}}
| 
|-
| [[M16 rifle|M16]]<ref name=colt_customers/>
| [[File:M16A2 rightside noBG.jpg|150px]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|United States}}
| 
|-
| [[M4 Carbine|M4]]
| [[File:PEO M4 Carbine RAS M68 CCO.png|150px]]
| [[Carbine]]<hr>[[Assault rifle]]
| 
|-
! colspan="6"| Sniper rifles
|-
| [[Remington M700]]<ref name="Jones"/>
| [[File:Remington Model 700.JPG|150px]]
| [[.308 Winchester]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Sniper rifle]]
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|United States}}
| 
|-
| [[M24 SWS]]
| [[File:M24 Rifle (7414626896).jpg|150px]]
| [[7.62×51mm]]
| 
|-
| [[SVD (rifle)|SVD]]
| [[File:SVD Dragunov.jpg|150px]]
| [[7.62×54mmR]]
| [[Designated marksman rifle]]<br>[[Sniper rifle]]
| {{Flag|Soviet Union}}
| 
|-
! colspan="6"| Machine guns
|-
| [[Browning M1918]]<ref name="gander1995">Gander, Terry J.; Hogg, Ian V. ''Jane's Infantry Weapons 1995/1996''. Jane's Information Group; 21 edition (May 1995). {{ISBN|978-0-7106-1241-0}}.</ref>
| [[File:Army Heritage Museum B.A.R..jpg|150px]]
| |[[.303 British]] 
| [[Light machine gun]]
| rowspan="3" | {{Flag|United States|1912}}
| 
|-
| [[Browning M1919]]<ref name="Jones"/>
| [[File:Browning M1919a.png|150px]]
| |[[7.62×51mm]] 
| [[Medium machine gun]]
| 
|-
| [[M60 machine gun|M60]]<ref name="Jones"/>
| [[File:M60 Medium Machine Gun (7414626098).jpg|150px]]
| [[7.62×51mm]] 
| [[General-purpose machine gun]]
| 
|-
| [[IWI Negev]]<ref name="kemp2007">{{cite web |url=http://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/upload/200712032006011.pdf |title=Lightweight Firepower |author=Kemp, Ian |date=March 2007 |publisher=Asianmilitaryreview.com - Asian Military Review |access-date=2010-04-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707175117/http://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/upload/200712032006011.pdf |archive-date=7 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
| [[File:IWI-Negev-Zachi-Evenor-01-white.jpg|150px]]
| [[7.62×51mm]] 
| [[Light machine gun]]
| {{Flag|Israel}}
| 
|-
! colspan="6"| Grenade launchers
|-
| [[M79 grenade launcher|M79]]<ref name="Jones">{{cite book |last=Jones |first=Richard |title=Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009-2010 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-7106-2869-5 |pages=894–905}}</ref>
| [[File:M79 Grenade Launcher (7414625716).jpg|150px]]
| [[40mm grenade|40×46mm]]
| [[Grenade launcher]]
| {{Flag|United States}}
| 
|}

==See also==
* [[List of countries without armed forces]]
* [[Special Intervention Unit (Costa Rica)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180828024027/http://www.fuerzapublica.go.cr/ Fuerza Pública de Costa Rica.]
* [http://www.seguridadpublica.go.cr// Ministerio de Seguridad Pública.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424225704/http://www.seguridadpublica.go.cr/ |date=2018-04-24 }}
* [http://www.elespiritudel48.org/docu/h013.htm El Espíritu del 48: Abolición del Ejército] A brief history of the abolition of the military in Costa Rica.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20151031082529/https://fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/lainven.html Latin American Light Weapons National Inventories]

{{Costa Rica topics}}
{{Military of North America}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Of Costa Rica}}
[[Category:Law enforcement in Costa Rica]]
[[Category:Law of Costa Rica]]
[[Category:Military of Costa Rica| ]]