In Spain, all police forces share the same basic mission: to protect people’s rights and keep everyone safe.
Police in Spain are organised into three main types, depending on where they work and what they do: national, regional, and local.
The National Police mainly operate in cities and fall under the Ministry of the Interior. Along with general public safety, they also deal with serious issues like organised crime, terrorism, immigration control, and identity fraud. They often work with international police teams too.
They also have special units for things like tackling cybercrime, drug investigations, riot control, and high-risk operations such as hostage rescues or terrorist threats. Some units work with dogs or horses, others deal with explosives, underground sites, or security in places like train stations. There are even teams that work from the air or deal specifically with immigration and border control.
The Guardia Civil is a national police force with a military style. They report to both the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of the Interior. They have specialist teams for road safety, environmental protection, diving and water rescue, anti-terrorism, and more.
Local police are hired by town and city councils. Their job is to manage traffic, make sure local rules are followed, help residents, and handle minor crimes. Bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona have their own local forces with more resources.
Some regions in Spain run their own police services. These are managed by the regional governments and focus on public safety, crime investigation, and traffic control within their own areas. They often work alongside the national forces. For example, Catalonia has the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Basque Country has the Ertzaintza, Navarra has the Foruzaingoa, and the Canary Islands have the Policía Canaria.
Ports and airports also have police presence, but they’re not separate forces. The Guardia Civil and National Police take care of security in these areas, working together with the national transport authorities.
There are also officers who focus on protecting nature and the environment. Some work for the national government, others for regional bodies. They make sure nature reserves are protected, hunting and fishing laws are followed, and investigate things like wildfires and pollution. These teams often work closely with SEPRONA, the environmental unit of the Guardia Civil.
