Constabulary

A large civil police force organized and trained along military lines, which may contain Paramilitary elements. This is the usual definition in places outside of Great Britain (e.g. Royal Irish Constabulary , Royal Ulster Constabulary , Royal Newfoundland Constabulary , Royal Canadian Mounted Police , Pennsylvania Constabulary etc.). These were based on the French Gendarmerie , originally consisting of Military personnel seconded to or recruited directly to the constabulary or military veterans and later became all civilian forces after they were well established.

A military or para-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 (e.g. Philippine Constabulary , United States Constabulary in West Germany after World War Two, Nicaraguan National Guard , Panama National Guard). These forces also performed military functions by maintaining "mobile forces" of organised units. In Europe such forces are called Gendarmerie s or (in Italy ) Carabinieri .

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