National Police of East Timor
Encyclopedia
The National Police of East Timor ( or PNTL) is the national police
force of East Timor
.
, before sovereignty was passed to the new state, with a mandate to provide security and maintain law and order
throughout the country, and to enable the rapid development of a credible, professional and impartial police service. Recruitment drives were conducted in early 2000, and basic training commenced on March 27, 2000, under the auspices of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
(UNTAET). On August 10, 2001, the East Timor Police Service was officially established, working alongside CivPol, the United Nations Civilian Police Force. It later changed its name to the Timor-Leste Police Service, before finally adopting its current title of the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste.
It was not until independence, on May 20, 2002, that an agreement was signed outlining the terms and timetable for handing over of full policing duties from CivPol to the PNTL. The PNTL finally assumed responsibility for the whole country on December 10, 2003.
There are at least three special units within the PNTL: the Police Reserve Unit, formerly the Rapid Deployment Service; the Border Patrol Unit; and the Rapid Intervention Unit, or UIR, modelled after the Portuguese National Republican Guard
riot police, which served in East Timor before its independence.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force of East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
.
History
The PNTL was established in May 2002 by the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, before sovereignty was passed to the new state, with a mandate to provide security and maintain law and order
Law and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
throughout the country, and to enable the rapid development of a credible, professional and impartial police service. Recruitment drives were conducted in early 2000, and basic training commenced on March 27, 2000, under the auspices of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor
The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor, from its establishment on October 25, 1999 until its independence on May 20, 2002 following the outcome of the East Timor Special...
(UNTAET). On August 10, 2001, the East Timor Police Service was officially established, working alongside CivPol, the United Nations Civilian Police Force. It later changed its name to the Timor-Leste Police Service, before finally adopting its current title of the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste.
It was not until independence, on May 20, 2002, that an agreement was signed outlining the terms and timetable for handing over of full policing duties from CivPol to the PNTL. The PNTL finally assumed responsibility for the whole country on December 10, 2003.
There are at least three special units within the PNTL: the Police Reserve Unit, formerly the Rapid Deployment Service; the Border Patrol Unit; and the Rapid Intervention Unit, or UIR, modelled after the Portuguese National Republican Guard
Portuguese National Republican Guard
The Portuguese National Republican Guard is the gendarmerie of Portugal. Members of the GNR are soldiers, who, unlike the agents of the Public Security Police , are subject to military law and organisation...
riot police, which served in East Timor before its independence.