Article - Policia Nacional de Colombia - 2018

Policia Nacional de Colombia

History

The National Police of Colombia (Policia Nacional de Colombia) can trace their origins back to 1891 when it was established as a direct report to the Governor of Cundinamarca and the Mayor of Bogota. In 1915, government statute defined the mission of the police to preserve public tranquillity. The organisation was divided into three groups:

Surveillance and security

Civil guard of Gendarmerie (principally mail and prisons)

Judicial police

In addition, the police now reported to the General Command of the Armed Forces (today the Ministry of Defence).

In 1995, a Plan for Cultural Transformation and Institutional Improvement was introduced in Colombia and this resulted in a step change improvement in the competence and efficiency of the police. The mission today is stated as maintaining the conditions necessary for the exercise of public rights and freedoms and to ensure that the inhabitants of Colombia live in peace.

Policia Nacional-present day

Today the Colombian Police operates the largest police air fleet in South America.The police’s aviation force, Aérea de Aviación (ARAVI), headquartered at Bogotá ‘s El Dorado, operates under the command of the Direcciòn Anti-Narcòticos (DIRAN) (Counter-narcotics Directorate). In addition to counter-narcotics missions, the police use United States government-supported assets for humanitarian missions, targeted intelligence gathering, anti-terrorism, anti-kidnapping, high value target, and public order missions.

Bases and Aircraft

There are five permanent bases operated as follows:

Compania Aérea Bogotá – El Dorado (Fixed wing)

Compania Aérea Guaymaral (UH-1H-II, UH-60)

Compania Aérea Tulua (B.212, UH-1H-II)

Compania Aérea Santa Marta (B.212)

Escuela de Entrenamiento de Aviacion – Mariquita (B.206, C.152/172, UH-1H-II)

There are also dedicated Base Aérea Antinarcóticos at the following locations, which operate:

Bogotà – El Dorado (Fixed wing)

Guaymaral (UH-1H/UH-60)

Neiva – Zona Sur (UH-1H/UH-60)

San José del Guaviare – Zona Oriente (UH-1H/UH-60)

Santa Marta – Zona Norte (B212/UH-60)

Tulua – Zona Occidente (UH-1H/UH-60)

In addition, the Escuela de Entrenamiento de Aviacion (ESAVI) is based at José Celestino Mutiz, Mariquita and operates Bell 206, Bell UH-1H-II, Cessna 150, 152 and 172.

The other arm of ARAVI is the Policía Metropolitana, detachments are based at:

Bogotà – El Dorado (MEBOG), B206L/B407/C.TU206G/H369D, PA-31

Bucaramanga (MEBUC), B206L

Cartagena (MECAR), H369D

Cali (MECAL), B206L

Valle de Aburra, Medellin (MEVAL), B206L

Neiva, C.TU206G

Pereira, B206L

Cucuta, C.TU206G

Villavicencio, C.TU206G

Barranquilla, C.TU206G

Aviation Reporting along with Aviation Press Ltd would like to thank Brigadier General Fabián Laurence Cárdenas Leonel for hosting our visits and Paolo Di Biagio, for arranging the visit.

Author Ian French

Photography by Mark Forest and Duncan Campbell