Law Enforcement Officer Standards, Selection, and Training: How We Compare to Spain

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Spain, where I networked with academic colleagues, gave a talk about American policing, and did some research. One thing I wanted to learn more about was how law enforcement officers in Spain are selected and trained. I had read this article, and similar pieces, arguing that police training in Europe is very different from – and superior to – American police training. I wanted to assess that for myself. I was surprised by some of things I learned, and I thought I would share them in this post. The structure of policing in Spain. In order to understand Spanish police selection and training, it is necessary to understand the structure of Spanish policing. Most law enforcement officers in Spain belong to one of two large national forces: the Policia Nacional and the Guardia Civil. The Policia Nacional patrols most cities, while the Guardia Civil patrols rural areas, national borders, and roadways. In addition to this territorial division, each force has certain types of offenses for which it takes primary responsibility throughout the country. For example, the Policia Nacional addresses illegal gambling, while the Guardia Civil takes the lead on weapons and explosives offenses. The Policia Nacional is a civil police force, with ranks of officer, inspector, commissioner, and the like. The Guardia Civil is a gendarmerie, and is organized using military-style ranks like sergeant, lieutenant, and so on. It has dual responsibilities under the Ministry of the Interior (for its law enforcement function) [...]