View source for Civil Guard (Spain)

{{Short description|Gendarmerie branch of Spain's armed forces}}
{{Redirect|Guardia Civil|other uses|Civil Guard (disambiguation){{!}}Civil Guard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} 
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
| agencyname      = Civil Guard
| nativename      = {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}
| abbreviation    = GC
| logo            = 
| logocaption     = 
| badge           = Emblem of the Spanish Civil Guard.svg
| badgecaption    = Emblem of the Civil Guard
| image_size      = 120px
| motto           = {{lang|es|El honor es mi divisa}}
| mottotranslated = Honour is my badge
| formedmonthday  = May 13
| formedyear      = 1844
| preceding1      = 
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| dissolved       = 
| superseding     = 
| employees       = 85,426 total (2020) and 77,223 active (2020)
| volunteers      = 
| budget          = 
| legalpersonality = 
| country         = Spain
| governingbody   = 
| governingbodyscnd = 
| police          = 
| local           = 
| military        = 
| paramilitary    = 
| provost         = 
| gendarmerie     = yes 
| religious       = 
| speciality1     = border
| speciality2     = coast
| speciality3     = road
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| secret          = 
| oversighttype   = 
| oversightbody   = [[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|Ministry of the Interior]]<br>[[Ministry of Defence (Spain)|Ministry of Defence]]
| headquarters    = Calle de Guzmán el Bueno, 110, 28003 Madrid, Spain 
| electeetype     = 
| minister1name   = [[Fernando Grande-Marlaska]]
| minister1pfo    = [[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|Minister of the Interior]] 
| minister2name   = [[Margarita Robles]]
| minister2pfo    = [[List of ministers of defence (Spain)|Minister of Defence]]
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| chief1name      = {{ill|María Gámez Gámez|es}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardiacivil.es/es/institucional/Conocenos/estructuraorganizacion/director/index.html|title=Dirección General de la Guardia Civil|trans-title=General Direction of the Spanish Civil Guard|publisher=Spanish Civil Guard|date=2012-03-17|language=es|access-date=2017-03-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329051401/http://www.guardiacivil.es/es/institucional/Conocenos/estructuraorganizacion/director/index.html|archive-date=2017-03-29|url-status=live}}</ref>
| chief1position  = [[List of Directors General of the Civil Guard (Spain)|Director-General]]
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| parentagency    = [[Directorate-General of the Civil Guard]]
| child1agency    = 
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| award1          = [[Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand]]
<!-- (...up to 6...) -->
| website         = {{URL|www.guardiacivil.es}}
| footnotes       = 
| reference       = 
}}

The '''Civil Guard''' ({{langx|es|Guardia Civil|link=no}}; {{IPA|es|ˈɡwaɾðja θiˈβil|}}) is one of the two national law enforcement agencies of Spain (the other being the [[National Police Corps|National Police]]). As a national [[gendarmerie]], it is military in nature and is responsible for civil [[police|policing]] under the authority of both the [[Ministry of the Interior (Spain)|Ministry of the Interior]] and the [[Ministry of Defence (Spain)|Ministry of Defence]].<ref name="Paradox">{{cite book |last1=Lutterbeck |first1=Derek |title=The Paradox of Gendarmeries : Between Expansion, Demilitarization and Dissolution |date=2013 |publisher=Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) |location=Geneva |isbn=9789292222864 |url=https://issat.dcaf.ch/download/34418/497173/SSR_8_EN.pdf |id=SSR Paper 8 |pages=27–30 |access-date=25 August 2020 |archive-date=8 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208131211/https://issat.dcaf.ch/download/34418/497173/SSR_8_EN.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Conoce a la Guardia Civil |url=https://www.guardiacivil.es/es/institucional/Conocenos/index.html |website=Guardia Civil |access-date=25 August 2020 |language=es}}</ref> The role of the Ministry of Defence is limited except in times of war when the Ministry has exclusive authority.<ref name="Paradox"/><ref name="Legislation">{{cite web |title=Ley Orgánica 2/1986, de 13 de marzo, de Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad |url=https://boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1986-6859 |website=Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado |access-date=25 August 2020|language=es}}</ref> The corps is colloquially known as the ''{{Wikt-lang|es|benemérita}}'' (the meritorious or the reputables). In annual surveys, it generally ranks as the national institution most valued by Spaniards, closely followed by other law enforcement agencies and the [[Spanish Armed Forces|armed forces]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=LaRazón.es|title=La Guardia Civil, la institución más valorada|url=http://www.larazon.es/espana/la-guardia-civil-la-institucion-mas-valorada-EF9654565#.Ttt1rx0OUmXQ1Mv|access-date=24 February 2016|publisher=La Razón|date=5 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304162952/http://www.larazon.es/espana/la-guardia-civil-la-institucion-mas-valorada-EF9654565#.Ttt1rx0OUmXQ1Mv|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

It has both a regular national role and undertakes specific foreign peacekeeping missions and is part of the [[European Gendarmerie Force]]. As a national gendarmerie force, the Civil Guard was modelled on the French [[National Gendarmerie]] and has many similarities.<ref name="Paradox"/>

As part of its daily duties, the Civil Guard patrols and investigates crimes in rural areas, including highways and ports, whilst the [[National Police Corps|National Police]] deals with safety in urban situations. Most cities also have a [[Municipal police (Spain)|Municipal Police Force]]. The three forces are nationally co-ordinated by the Ministry of the Interior. The Civil Guard is usually stationed at {{lang|es|casas cuartel}}, which are both minor residential [[garrison]]s and fully-equipped [[police station]]s.

==History==
{{See also|Law enforcement in Spain}}

===Origin===
The {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} was founded as a national police force in 1844 during the reign of [[Isabel II of Spain|Queen Isabel II of Spain]] by the [[Francisco Javier Girón, 2nd Duke of Ahumada|2nd Duke of Ahumada and 5th Marquess of Amarillas]], an 11th generation descendant of Aztec emperor [[Moctezuma II]]. Previously, law enforcement had been the responsibility of the [[Santa Hermandad|"Holy Brotherhood"]], an organization of municipal leagues. Corruption was pervasive in the Brotherhood, where officials were constantly subject to local political influence, and the system was largely ineffective outside the major towns and cities.<ref name="deR">de Rementeria y Fica, Mariano, ''[[Manual del Baratero|Manual of the Baratero]]'' (transl. and annot. by James Loriega), Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press, {{ISBN|978-1-58160-471-9}} (2005)</ref> Criminals could often escape justice by simply moving from one district to another.<ref name="deR"/> The first {{lang|es|Guardia}} police academy was established in the town of [[Valdemoro]], south of [[Madrid]], in 1855. Graduates were given the Guardia's now famous ''tricorne'' or ''Cavaliers'' hat as part of their duty dress uniform.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

[[File:Retrato de un guardia civil en Reinosa entre 1855 y 1857 - William Atkinson.jpg|left|thumb|First ever photograph taken of a Guardia Civil, somewhere between 1855 and 1857 in [[Reinosa]], Spain.]]
 
The {{lang|es|Guardia}} was initially charged with putting an end to [[brigandage]] on the nation's highways, particularly in [[Andalusia]], which had become notorious for numerous robberies and holdups of businessmen, peddlers, travelers, and even foreign tourists.<ref>Quevedo, A. and Sidro, J., ''La Guardia Civil: La Historia de esta Institución'', Madrid (1858)</ref><ref>de la Iglesia, Eugenio, ''Reseña Histórica de la Guardia Civil'', Madrid (1898)</ref><ref>Driessen, Henk Driessen, ''The ‘Noble Bandit’ and the Bandits of the Nobles: Brigandage and Local Community in Nineteenth-century Andalusia'', European Journal of Sociology 24, (1983), pp. 96-114</ref> Banditry in this region was so endemic that the {{lang|es|Guardia}} found it difficult to eradicate it completely. As late as 1884, one traveler of the day reported that it still existed in and around the city of [[Málaga]]:<ref name="SCO">Scott, Samuel P., ''Through Spain: A Narrative of Travel and Adventure in the Peninsula'', Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: J. B. Lippincott & Co. (1886), pp. 130–131</ref>

<blockquote>
The favorite and original method of the Malagueño highwayman is to creep up quietly behind his victim, muffle his head and arms in a cloak, and then relieve him of his valuables. Should he resist, he is instantly disembowelled with the dexterous thrust of a knife...[The Spanish highwayman] wears a profusion of amulets and charms...all of undoubted efficacy against the dagger of an adversary or the rifle of a Civil Guard.<ref name="SCO"/></blockquote>
[[File:Column_of_Guardias_Civiles_during_the_1934_Asturian_Revolution,_Brañosera.jpg|thumb|Column of Guardias Civiles during the 1934 Asturian Revolution, [[Brañosera]]]]

The {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} was also given the political task of restoring and maintaining land ownership and servitude among the peasantry of Spain by the King, who desired to stop the spread of [[anti-monarchism|anti-monarchist]] movements inspired by the [[French Revolution]]. The end of the [[First Carlist War]] combined with the unequal distribution of land that resulted from prime minister [[Juan Álvarez Mendizábal]]'s first [[Desamortización]] (1836–1837) had left the Spanish landscape scarred by the destruction of civil war and social unrest, and the government was forced to take drastic action to suppress spontaneous revolts by a restive peasantry. Based on the model of light infantry used by [[Napoléon]] in his European campaigns, the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} was transformed into a military force of high mobility that could be deployed irrespective of inhospitable conditions, able to patrol and pacify large areas of the countryside. Its members, called '{{lang|es|guardias}}', maintain to this day a basic patrol unit formed by two agents, usually called a "{{lang|es|pareja}}" (a pair), in which one of the '{{lang|es|guardias}}' will initiate the intervention while the second '{{lang|es|guardia}}' serves as a backup to the first.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}
	
Under the pre-1931 monarchy, relations between {{lang|es|[[Gitanos]]}} and the Civil Guard were particularly tense.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}

===Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)===
[[File:Monogram of the Spanish Civil Guard (Republican).svg|100px|thumb|[[Second Spanish Republic|Republican]] Civil Guard emblem (1931–1939)]]
During the [[Spanish Civil War]], the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} forces [[Breakup of Spanish armed forces (1936)|split almost evenly]] between those who remained loyal to the Republic, 53% of the members<ref>{{Citation |last=Muñoz-Bolaños |first=Roberto |title=Fuerzas y cuerpos de seguridad en España (1900–1945) |language=es |trans-title= |journal=Serga |volume=2 |year=2000}}</ref> (which changed their name to {{lang|es|Guardia Nacional Republicana}} – "Republican National Guard")<ref>{{Citation |title=Decreto de 30 de agosto de 1936  |language=es |trans-title= |date=1936-08-30}}</ref> and the rebel forces.<ref name="COLODNY">''[http://web.usal.es/~iea/Texts/WebQuests_Americans/Unit_6/Bessie_Text_4_6.PDF The International Bridgades] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527232104/http://web.usal.es/~iea/Texts/WebQuests_Americans/Unit_6/Bessie_Text_4_6.PDF |date=May 27, 2008 }}'' – Colodny, Robert G. Accessed 2008-05-12.</ref> However, the highest authority of the corps, Inspector General [[Sebastián Pozas]], remained loyal to the republican government.<ref name=INDE>[[Hugh Thomas (writer)|Hugh Thomas]] (1976); ''Historia de la Guerra Civil Española'', Ed. Grijalbo, p. 254</ref> Their contribution to the Republican war efforts were invaluable, but proved effective on both sides in urban combat.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

The proportion of {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} members that supported the [[Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)|rebel faction]] at the time of the [[Spanish coup of July 1936|1936 coup]] was relatively high compared to other Spanish police corps such as the {{lang|es|[[Guardias de Asalto]]}} and the ''[[Carabineros]]'' ({{lang|es|Real Cuerpo de Carabineros de Costas y Fronteras}}), where when the Civil War began over 70% of their members stayed loyal to the Spanish Republic.<ref name="RSL">[[Ramón Salas Larrazábal]] (2001); ''Historia del Ejército Popular de la República, Volumen I. De los comienzos de la guerra al fracaso del ataque sobre Madrid'', pp. 58-60</ref>

Loyalist General of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} [[José Aranguren]], commander of the 4th Organic Division and Military Governor of [[Valencia]], was arrested by the victorious Francoist troops when they entered the city of [[Valencia (city)|Valencia]] at the end of March 1939. After being court-martialed, Aranguren was given the death penalty and was executed on 22 April in the same year.<ref name=RSL/>

===Colonial service===
Locally recruited units of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} were employed in Spain's overseas territories. These included three {{lang|es|tercia}} (regiments) in the [[Captaincy General of the Philippines|Philippines]] and two companies in [[Puerto Rico]] prior to 1898.<ref>{{cite book |first=Ron |last=Field |pages=98–99 |title=Spanish–American War 1898 |year=1998 |publisher=Brassey's |isbn=1-85753-272-4}}</ref> Over six thousand Civil Guards, both indigenous and Spanish, were serving in [[Cuba]] in 1885 and smaller units were subsequently raised in [[Ifni]] and [[Spanish Guinea]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Jose |last=Bueno |pages=76 and 98 |title=La Guardia Civil |language=es |trans-title=The Guardia Civil |year=1989 |publisher=Aldaba Ediciones |isbn=9-788486-629342}}</ref>

===Francoist era (1939–1975) and attempted coup d'état (1981)===
Following the Civil War, under the [[Francoist Spain|dictatorship]] of [[General]] [[Francisco Franco]] (1939–1975), the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} was reinforced with the members of the ''[[Carabineros]]'', the "Royal Corps of Coast and Frontier Carabiniers", following the disbandment of the carabinier corps.<ref>{{Citation |title=Ley 15 de Marzo de 1940 |language=es |trans-title= |journal=Boletín Oficial del Estado |date=1940-03-15}}</ref>

Critics of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} have alleged numerous instances of [[police brutality]] because of the organisation's association with Franco's regime. The fact that the {{lang|es|Guardia}} largely operated in mostly rural and isolated parts of the country increased the risk of police violations of individual civil rights through lack of supervision and accountability.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} [[Federico García Lorca]]'s poems have contributed to the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}'s reputation as, at least at the time, a heavy-handed police force.

The involvement of {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} figures in politics continued right up until the end of the twentieth century: on 23 February 1981, Lt. Col. [[Antonio Tejero|Antonio Tejero Molina]], a member of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}, participated with other military forces in the failed [[23-F]] [[coup d'état]]. Along with 200 members of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}, he briefly took hold of the lower house of the {{lang|es|[[Cortes Generales|Cortes]]}} before the coup collapsed following a nationally televised address by [[King Juan Carlos]], who denounced the coup.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cemlyn-Jones |first=Bill |date=1981-02-23 |title=King Orders army to crush coup |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/1981/feb/23/spain.fromthearchive |access-date=2025-04-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

==Modern force==
The {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} as a police force, has had additional tasks given to it in addition to its traditional role. Certain of these tasks are not delegated to the Civil Guard (as well as to the National Police) in certain Autonomous Communities, as some have their own autonomous police force, under the rule of their respective autonomous government. Forces like the [[Mossos d'Esquadra]] or the [[Ertzaintza]] carry out the duties of the Civil Guard there, such as highway patrol or law enforcement in rural areas.

[[File:The_Spanish_Civil_Guard_patrol_ship_Rio_Segura_is_moored_in_Dakar,_Senegal,_March_8,_2014,_during_exercise_Saharan_Express_2014_140308-N-QY759-182.jpg|thumb|300px|The Spanish Civil Guard patrol ship ''Rio Segura'' moored in [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]], during the counternarcotics and proliferation exercise ''Saharan Express'' on March 8, 2014.]]

It is the largest police force in Spain, in terms of area served. Today, they are primarily responsible for policing and/or safety regarding the following (but not limited to) areas and/or safety related issues (given in no special order):<ref name="Legislation"/>

* law enforcement in all Spanish territory, excluding cities above 20,000 inhabitants,
*[[highway patrol]],
* protection of the [[King of Spain]] and other members of the Spanish Royal Family,
* military police as part of military deployments overseas
* counter drugs operations,
* anti-smuggling operations,
* [[customs]] and [[ports of entry]] control,
* [[airport security]],
* safety of prisons and safeguarding of prisoners,
* weapons licenses and arms control,
* security of border areas,
* [[bomb squad]] and explosives ([[TEDAX]]),
* high risk and [[special operations]] unit (UEI),
* [[coast guard]],
* police deployments abroad ([[List of diplomatic missions of Spain|embassies]]),
* intelligence, counterterrorism and counter-intelligence gathering ([[Civil Guard Information Service|SIGC]]),
* diving unit (GEAS),
* cyber and internet crime,
* mountain search and rescue ([[GREIM]]),
* hunting permits and environmental law enforcement ([[Nature Protection Service (Spain)|SEPRONA]]).
[[File:Guardia Civil CN-235 PM.jpg|200px|thumb|right|''Guardia Civil'''s [[CASA/IPTN CN-235|CASA CN235]] surveillance aircraft]]
[[File:(Guardia_Civil)_Mannequin_Challenge_UAR_(Unidad_de_Acción_Rápida)-_Guardia_Civil._Rapel.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Quick reaction force, [[Grupo de Acción Rápida]], of the Civil Guard.]]
[[File:EC-135_UEI.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Spanish Civil Guard Eurocopter EC-135P-2 carrying members of the [[Unidad Especial de Intervención]] (Special Intervention Unit).]]

==Peacekeeping and other operations==
The {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} has been involved in operations as [[Peacekeeping|peacekeepers]] in [[United Nations]] sponsored operations, including operations in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], [[Angola]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]], [[Mozambique]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Haiti]], [[East Timor]] and [[El Salvador]]. They also served with the Spanish armed forces contingent in the war in [[Iraq]], mainly as [[military police]] but also in intelligence gathering, where seven of its members were killed.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

In the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Afghan war effort]] the rapid reaction branch of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}; the {{lang|es|Grupo de Acción Rápida}} (GAR) were deployed to the Kabul area in 2002 shortly after [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|the invasion]] and served as the protective team for the High Representative of the European Union. They maintained their services until 2008. In that period, the {{lang|es|Agrupación de Tráfico}} (Traffic Group), {{lang|es|Jefatura Fiscal y de Fronteras}} (Customs and Revenue Service), {{lang|es|Policía Judicial}} (Judicial Police), and {{lang|es|Seguridad Ciudadana}} (Public Order and Prevention service) have also had their deployments to Afghanistan for the peacekeeping efforts.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{Cite web |url=http://www.guardiacivil.es/va/prensa/noticias/5532.html |title=La Guardia Civil finaliza su misión de asesoramiento a la Policía afgana |language=es |trans-title= |access-date=2018-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818022446/http://www.guardiacivil.es/va/prensa/noticias/5532.html |archive-date=2018-08-18 |url-status=live}}</ref>

After 2009, the mission of the Civil Guards in Afghanistan shifted focus to training up local security forces in the country. In that period, the counter-terrorism branch of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}; the {{lang|es|Unidad de Acción Rural}} (UAR) were deployed to [[Afghanistan]] to train the [[Afghan National Police]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/presidente/news/Paginas/2010/26082010_LlegadaCuerposGCivilesAsesinadosAfganist.aspx |title=The bodies of the Guardia Civil officers and their interpreter killed in Afghanistan yesterday arrive in Spain |access-date=2018-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817225843/http://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/presidente/news/Paginas/2010/26082010_LlegadaCuerposGCivilesAsesinadosAfganist.aspx |archive-date=2018-08-17 |url-status=live}}</ref> as part of [[ISAF]]'s Police Advisor Team (PAT) formerly the Police Operative Mentoring and Liaison Team (POMLT) <ref name=autogenerated2 />

In addition to {{lang|es|el instituto armado}} ("the armed institution"), the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} is known as {{lang|es|la benemérita}} ("the well-remembered"). They served in the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish colonies]], including [[Cuba]], [[Puerto Rico]], the [[Philippines]], [[Spanish Guinea]] and [[Spanish Morocco]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

The {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} has a sister force in [[Costa Rica]] also called the {{lang|es|[[Military of Costa Rica|Guardia Civil]]}}. The Costa Rican 'guardias' often train at the same academy as regular Spanish officers.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

During the [[Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)|Iraqi Civil War]], the GAR have been deployed to Iraq to train and assist Iraqi federal police in the fight against [[ISIS]] militants.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/28689/guardia-civil-terrorism-experts-fly-to-iraq-to-train-federal-police-in-daesh-fight |title=Guardia Civil terrorism experts fly to Iraq to train federal police in DAESH fight |work=thinkSPAIN |access-date=2018-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818020906/https://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/28689/guardia-civil-terrorism-experts-fly-to-iraq-to-train-federal-police-in-daesh-fight |archive-date=2018-08-18 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Characteristics==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}
*Members of the ''Guardia'' typically patrol in pairs.
*Members of the ''Guardia Civil'' often live in garrisons ({{lang|es|casa-cuartel}}) with their families.
*Since the ''Guardia Civil'' must accommodate the families of its "guardias", it was the first police force in Europe that accommodated a same-sex partner in a military installation.
*The symbol of the ''Guardia Civil'' consists of the [[Coronation crown|Royal Crown of Spain]], a sword and a [[fasces]]. The different units have variations of this symbol.
*The sidearm of the ''Guardia Civil'' from the 1970s to the early 1990s was the [[Star Model BM]] chambered in [[9mm]] until its replacement with the [[Beretta 92]], and in recent years the Beretta has been replaced with the [[H&K USP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/review-spain-star-modelo-b-pistol/|title=Gun Review: Spain's Star Modelo B Pistols|date=4 September 2015|access-date=31 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202102223/http://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/review-spain-star-modelo-b-pistol/|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Traditions===
[[File:Monogram of the Spanish Civil Guard (Variant).svg|thumb|Monogram]]
[[File:Spanish Civil Guard racing stripe.svg|thumb|Ship racing stripe]]

====Hymn====
The first hymn was composed between 1915 and 1916 by Asunción García Sierra (who wrote the lyrics) and Ildefonso Moreno Carrilllo (who composed the music) as a school hymn. In the 1920s, Lieutenant Colonel José Osuna Pineda was assigned to the center as Head of Studies and arranged the original text and melody. This hymn was that of the College of Young Guardsmen, adopted as the school's alma mater march since December 1922. Despite the absence of any legal provision, the hymn became official upon its use.<ref>{{cite web |title=Conoce la historia del himno de la Guardia Civil |trans-title= |url=https://gesinpol.com/conoce-la-historia-del-himno-la-guardia-civil/ |website=CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS GESINPOL |access-date=12 April 2020 |language=es |date=5 June 2019}}</ref>

====Motto====
The motto of the Civil Guard is "Honor is my badge".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guardiacivil.es/es/institucional/serguacivil/valores/index.html|title=Plantilla Home Principal|first=Dirección General de la Guardia|last=Civil|website=www.guardiacivil.es|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref> It comes from article 1 of the "Cartilla del Guardia Civil", written by the Duke of Ahumada in 1845. The full text says: "Honor is the main badge of the Civil Guard; it must, therefore, be kept spotless. Once lost, it is never recovered".{{sfn|Silva|2018|p=49}}

====Music Unit====
The Music Unit of the Civil Guard ({{langx|es|Unidad de Música de la Guardia Civil|link=no}}) is the [[military band]] of the Civil Guard and is one of multiple in the Armed Forces. It is officially part of the guard's General Directorate. Since its creation in 1844, it has had musical infantry and cavalry formations through various ranks. Only the Civil Guard and the Royal Guard, as well as many Army cavalry and artillery units retained [[mounted band]]s with cavalry trumpeters at the time while the infantry of both the Army and Civil Guard had bugle bands then (formerly corps of drums composed of drummers and fifers). It was not until 19 November 1859 when a unified band appeared for the first time. Other bands would be formed throughout the years in both [[Madrid]] and [[Valdemoro]]. In 1940, the first squads of Civil Guard musicians were officially approved and applications to join the official Civil Guard band were released in October 1941. In 1949, and as a consequence of the merger of the Carabineros Corps and the Civil Guard, their respective Music bands were also unified.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.defensa.gob.es/portaldecultura/cultural/musica/madrid/musica_191.html|title=Cultura de Defensa - Unidad de Música de la Dirección General de la Guardia Civil|website=www.defensa.gob.es|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref> These templates remained that way for over two decades when they were increased to adapt them to those of Army Music, forming two bands: one with 75 musicians attached to the General Directorate of the Corps and with 50 instrumentalists belonging to the Jefatura de Enseñanza. More recently, according to the resolutions of 28 June 2004 and 14 February 2006, the two music units were unified, constituting the current band which reports to the General Subdirectorate of Personnel and is administratively attached to the General Affairs Service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.coleccionguardiacivilagb.com/unidad-de-muacutesica-de-la-guardia-civil.html|title=Unidad de Música de la Guardia Civil|website=Colección Guardia Civil|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref>

A small mounted band is in service with the Security Group's Civil Guard Cavalry Squadron, with its barracks and stables in Valdemoro, administratively under the supervision of the Young Guardsmen's College. Unlike other mounted bands, they only use small fanfare trumpets ({{lang|es|clarines de caballeria}} and {{lang|es|trompetas bajas}}). They continue the traditions of the Civil Guard cavalry since its foundation. In 2022 the Mounted Band of the Civil Guard Cavalry Squadron finally received its own kettledrummer, bringing it in line with the Royal Guard's Mounted Band of the Royal Escort Squadron.

====Tricorn====
The element of uniformity that characterizes the Civil Guard is the [[tricorne|tricorn]], which is the official service's [[headgear]] in full and service dress uniforms. [[#AnchorHeaddress|Other pieces of headgear]] such as [[peaked cap]]s, [[beret]]s or [[garrison cap]]s are currently used in addition to this one. Throughout its history, other headwear of various types, colors and shapes have been used, including the Teresiana [[Kepi]]. Officially, it is known by the Civil Guard as the "black hat".

====Patronage====
On 8 February 1913, [[Our Lady of the Pillar]] was declared by royal decree as the guard's exalted [[patron saint]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guardiacivil.es/es/prensa/especiales/centenario_virgen_pilar/historia_patronazgo.html|title=Plantilla Home Principal|first=Dirección General de la Guardia|last=Civil|website=www.guardiacivil.es|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref>

==Uniforms==
[[File :Madrid_-_Día_de_la_fiesta_nacional_-_131012_105243.jpg|thumb|Spanish Guardia Civil wearing the {{lang|es|[[#Tricorn|tricornio]]}} hat during National Day celebrations in [[Madrid]].]]

A wide range of clothing is currently worn according to the nature of the duties being performed (see schematic diagrams below).

{{anchor|AnchorHeaddress}}The traditional headdress of the {{lang|es|Guardia}} is the {{lang|es|[[#Tricorn|tricornio]]}} hat, originally a tricorne. Its use now is reserved for ceremonial parades and duty outside public buildings, together with the army-style tunic and trousers previously worn. For other occasions a cap or a beret is worn.<ref>{{Citation| title = Orden General número 1| journal = Boletín Oficial de la Guardia Civil | volume = 3| date = 1998-12-29}}</ref>

The historic blue, white and red uniform of the {{lang|es|Guardia}} is now retained only for the Civil Guard Company of the Royal Guard and the {{lang|es|gastadores}} (parade markers) of the Civil Guard Academy.<ref>{{cite book |first=José María |last=Bueno |pages=164 and 168 |title=La Guardia Civil, su historia, organización y sus uniformes |date=1989 |publisher=Aldaba Ediciones |language=es |trans-title= |isbn=84-86629-34-9}}</ref>

A modernised new style of working uniform was announced for the Civil Guard in 2011, for general adoption during 2012. This comprises a green baseball cap, polo shirt and cargo pants. The [[kepi]]-like "{{lang|es|gorra teresiana}}" was abolished.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#2d9885"
|colspan=8 style="text-align:center;" | '''Uniforms of the Civil Guard''' 
|-
|[[File:Gcivil12.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil12b.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil17b.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil18.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil18c.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil23.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil19.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil16c.png]]
|-
|{{center|Patrol}}
|{{center|Patrol}}
'''Road waistcoat'''
|{{center|Traffic Group}}
'''Motorcyclist ATGC'''
|{{center|Sailor}}
'''Coverralls'''
|{{center|Sailor}}
'''Summer'''
|{{center|USECIC}}
|{{center|GAR}}
|{{center|GRS}}
'''Winter'''
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#2d9885"
|colspan=8|
|-
|[[File:Gcivil24.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil22.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil25.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil13b.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil20d.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil14.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil15.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil21b.png]]
|-
|{{center|GREIM}}
'''Rescue'''
|{{center|GEAS}}
'''Diver'''
|{{center|Camouflage}}
'''Military Police'''
|{{center|Service Dress}}
'''Winter'''
|{{center|Service Dress}}
'''Summer'''
|{{center|Full Dress}}
|{{center|Evening Dress}}
|{{center|Ceremonial Dress}}
'''Historic'''

|}

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#2d9885"
|colspan=4 style="text-align:center;" | '''Uniforms of the Civil Guard 1989–2012''' 
|- style="text-align:center;" 
|-
|[[File:Gcivil32ab.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil32b.png]]
|[[File:Gcivil32ac.png|156px]]
|[[File:Gcivil32C.png]]
|-
|{{center|Patrol}}
'''Winter'''
|{{center|Patrol}}
'''Summer'''
|{{center|Patrol}}
'''Road waistcoat'''
|{{center|Traffic Group}}
|}

==Ranks and insignia==
{{main|Military ranks of Spain}}
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background:#fff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin:0 12px 12px 0;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OF/Spain (Civil Guard)}}
|}

{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background:#fff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin:0 12px 12px 0;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OR/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OR/Spain (Civil Guard)}}
|}

==Organization and specialities==

[[File:GREIM-3.jpg|200px|thumb|right|A mountain rescue group (GREIM) from the Civil Guard in an avalanche rescue training exercise.]]
[[File:Monogram_of_the_Spanish_Civil_Guard_(Franquist).svg|100px|thumb|1939–1977 Civil Guard emblem]]
The Corps has been organised into different specialties divided into operational and support specialties:<ref>{{Citation| title = Orden General 16| journal = Boletín Oficial de la Guardia Civil| volume = 30| date = 1999-10-21}}</ref>
*[[File:Coat of Arms of the Guardia Civil's Rural Action Unit.svg|35px]] '''UAR''' ({{lang|es|Unidad de Acción Rural}}) – The rural tactical service branch of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Public Order and Prevention Service.svg|35px]] '''{{lang|es|Seguridad Ciudadana}}''' – Public Order and Prevention service, which makes up the bulk of the {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Group of Underwater Activities.svg|35px]] '''GEAS''' ({{lang|es|Grupo Especial de Actividades Subacuáticas}}) – Divers
*  [[File:Coat of Arms of the Guardia Civil Mountain and Speleology Rescue Service.svg|35px]] '''GTRIM''' Grupos de Rescate e Intervención en Montaña   
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Reserve and Security Grouping.svg|35px]] '''GRS''' ({{lang|es|Grupo de Reserva y Seguridad}}) – Security Group, involved in Riot control and includes personnel of the Civil Guard Cavalry Squadron
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Naval Service.svg|35px]] '''[[Servicio Marítimo (Guardia Civil)|SEMAR]]''' ({{lang|es|Servicio Marítimo}}) – {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}}s Naval Service, tasked with seashore surveillance and fisheries inspections
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Nature Protection Service.svg|35px]] '''[[Nature Protection Service (Spain)|SEPRONA]]''' ({{lang|es|Servicio de Protección de la Naturaleza}}) – Nature Protection Service, for environmental protection
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Air Service.svg|35px]] '''SAER''' ({{lang|es|Servicio Aéreo}}) – {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} Air Service
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Canine Service.svg|35px]] '''{{lang|es|Servicio Cinológico}}''' – K-9 Unit, for Drugs and explosives detection and people finding
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Mountain and Speleology Rescue Service.svg|35px]] '''[[GREIM]]''' ({{lang|es|Grupos de Rescate e Intervención en Montaña / Servicio de Montaña}}) – Mountain and Speleology Rescue
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Fiscal Service.svg|35px]] '''{{lang|es|Jefatura Fiscal y de Fronteras}}''' – Customs and Revenue Service
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Intelligence Service.svg|35px]] '''[[Civil Guard Information Service|SIGC]]''' ({{lang|es|Servicio de Informacion de la Guardia Civil}}) – Intelligence Service
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Explosive Artifacts Defuser and CBRN Defense Service.svg|35px]] '''[[TEDAX]]''' ({{lang|es|Técnicos Especialistas en Desactivación de Artefactos Explosivos}}) – lit, Explosive Artifacts Defuser Specialised Technicians ([[Explosive Ordnance Disposal|EOD]])
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Traffic Grouping.svg|35px]] '''{{lang|es|Agrupación de Tráfico}}''' – Traffic Group, The {{lang|es|Guardia Civil}} [[Highway Patrol]] unit, tasked with the control of highways and trunk roads
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Rapid Reaction Group.svg|35px]] '''[[Grupo de Acción Rápida|GAR]]''' ({{lang|es|Grupo de Acción Rápida}}) – Rapid Reaction Group. Special antiterrorist unit, operating within all of Spain and participating in some foreign missions
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Judiciary Police Service.svg|35px]] '''[[Unidad Central Operativa|UCO]]''' ({{lang|es|Unidad Central Operativa}}) – Central Operative Unit, a branch of the ''[[Policía Judicial]]'' focused on complex or nationwide investigations
*[[File:Service Badge of the Guardia Civil Special Intervention Unit.svg|35px]] '''[[Unidad Especial de Intervención|UEI]]''' ({{lang|es|Unidad Especial de Intervención}}) – Special Intervention Unit
* '''ODAIFI ''' ({{lang|es|Oficinas de Análisis e Investigación Fiscal}}) – investigation for prosecution of criminal offenses, notably detection of contraband (notably money, drugs, stolen objects and [[CITES]]) at points of entry to Spain.
* '''USESIC ''' ({{lang|es|Las Unidades de Seguridad Ciudadana de la Comandancia}}, citizen security units of command centres) Elite forces attached to some regional headquarters{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

==Requirements==
* [[Spanish citizenship]]
* Good standard or native [[Spanish language]] ability
* Cadets at sixteen and adult service between eighteen and thirty-one years old.
* More than {{convert|1.65|m|in}} tall (men) and {{convert|1.55|m|in}} (women)
* Having obtained Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) 
* No record of chronic illness and general good health.
* Ability to swim

==Equipment==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}

===Firearms===

{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|Weapon
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;"|Origin
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;"|Type
|-
|  [[Emtan Karmiel|EMTAN]] Ramon 
| {{flag|Israel}}
| Standard issue <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.surinenglish.com/spain/controversy-over-cheap-guns-20221226114406-nt.html | title=Controversy over issue of cheap guns to Spain's Guardia Civil police force's crack units | date=26 December 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/58727|title=Emtan Supplied Over 9,000 9mm Ramon Pistols to Spanish Civil Guard &#124; Israel Defense|date=July 2023 |accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref>
|-
|  [[Heckler & Koch USP]] Compact
| {{flag|Germany}}
| Standard issue<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.defensa.com/espana/guardia-civil-recibira-558-pistolas-hk-usp-compact |title=La Guardia Civil recibirá 558 pistolas HK USP "Compact"|website=defensa.com |access-date=2019-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402004701/https://www.defensa.com/espana/guardia-civil-recibira-558-pistolas-hk-usp-compact |archive-date=2019-04-02 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Beretta 92]] 
| {{flag|Italy}}
| Being phased out for H&K USP Compact and EMTAN Ramon
|-
| [[Heckler & Koch MP5]]
| {{flag|Germany}}
| Standard issue submachine gun
|-
| [[Emtan Karmiel|EMTAN]] MZ-4P
| {{flag|Israel}}
| In [[5.56×45mm]] version <ref>{{cite web |last1=InfoDefensa |first1=Revista Defensa |title=La Guardia Civil adquiere el fusil de asalto MZ-4P de la israelí Emtan |url=https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3456842/-guardia-civil-adquiere-fusiles-asalto-mz4p-israeli-emtan |website=Infodefensa - Noticias de defensa, industria, seguridad, armamento, ejércitos y tecnología de la defensa |access-date=11 June 2023 |language=es}}</ref>
|-
| [[Heckler & Koch G36]] 
| rowspan="2" | {{flag|Germany}}
| rowspan="2" | In use
|-
| [[Heckler & Koch HK33]]
|-
| [[SIG Sauer MCX]] Rattler
| {{flag|USA}}
| 15 units chambered in [[ 300 AAC Blackout]] purchased in 2023
|-
| [[CETME rifle]]
| {{flag|Spain}}
| 
|-
| [[SIG SG 553]]
| {{flag|Switzerland}}
| 
|-
|}

===Aircraft===
* [[CASA CN 235]]
* [[Tecnam P2006T|INDRA P2006T]]

===Helicopters===
* [[MBB Bo 105|MBB BÖ-105]]
* [[MBB/Kawasaki BK 117|MBB/Kawasaki BK-117]]
* [[Eurocopter EC135|Airbus H-135]]
* [[Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin|Airbus H-365 Dauphin II]]

==Training of other forces==
The Guardia Civil has some training and supervision responsibilities for essentially private security services with similar names:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guardiacivil.es/es/servicios/seguridadprivada/guasparticularcam/guardaspart.html|title=Plantilla Home Principal|first=Dirección General de la Guardia|last=Civil|website=www.guardiacivil.es|accessdate=25 February 2024}}</ref>
* Guardas Rurales (country estates and nature reserves)
* Guardas de Caza (hunting grounds and game reserves)
* Guardapescas Marítimos (fish farms and shellfish reserves)
The [[Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona]] is not part of the ''Guardia Civil''.

==See also==
* [[Coats of arms, badges and emblems of Spanish Armed Forces#Civil Guard|Emblems of the Spanish Civil Guard]]
*[[Civil Guard (disambiguation)]]
*[[Guardia de Asalto]]
*[[Policía Armada]]
*[[Policía Nacional (Spain)|Policía Nacional]]
*[[Republican National Guard (Portugal)]]
*[[Civil Guard (Philippines)]]
*"[[Spanish Bombs]]" by [[The Clash]], references the [[Spanish Civil War]].
*[[Operation Anubis]]
*de la Iglesia, Eugenio, {{lang|es|Reseña Historica de la Guardia Civil}}, Madrid (1898)

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Bibliography ==

* {{cite book|first=Lorenzo|last=Silva|author-link=Lorenzo Silva |title=Sereno en el peligro: la aventura histórica de la Guardia Civil|publisher=Edaf|location=[[Madrid]]|orig-year=2017|year=2018|isbn=978-84-414-3808-8}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Guardia Civil, Spain}}
*[http://www.guardiacivil.es/ Official web page]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090227074800/http://www.foropolicia.es/foros/ Spanish police forces forum] The most complete forum about different Spanish police forces.
*[http://seproneros.foroactivo.com/ Seproneros] – [[Nature Protection Service (Spain)|SEPRONA]] members unofficial web page
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100222221358/http://www.benemeritos.es/ Civil Guards members not Official web]

{{European Border and Coast Guard|state=expanded}}
{{FFAA España}}
{{Law enforcement agencies of Spain}}
{{EUROGENDFOR}}
{{Border protection agencies}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Civil Guard (Spain)| ]]
[[Category:National police forces|Spain]]
[[Category:Gendarmerie|Spain]]
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[[Category:Military of Spain]]
[[Category:National law enforcement agencies of Spain]]
[[Category:1844 establishments in Spain]]
[[Category:Political organizations established in 1844]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in the 1840s]]