Gendarmerie / Paramilitary Policing (again)

[TheCurmudgeon]

I seem to have run into a difference in definitions or at least application. It would appear that most military gendarmerie are used as a police force WITHIN the country of ther origin. What I am looking at is a force intended to conduct police type operations OUTSIDE their country of origin. Much more like the US constabulary forces after WWII. I am not sure any force like that exists.

[davidbfpo]

Good point, but a number of UN peacekeeping missions have successfully used para-military units, invariably from nations with an armed gendarmerie, first for the occasional public order / riot control duties and when there is a preference for a less military response to situations. Plus the situation may make deploying traditional police officers simply too risky.

A number of European nations have earmarked deployable units, usually the French, Italians and Spanish, for international missions. I exclude SWAT teams. When I looked at this issue a few years ago both Australia (AFP) and Canada (RCMP) had small teams available to deploy.

You are right I cannot think of any Western nation that has:

a force intended to conduct police type operations OUTSIDE their country of origin.

[ganulv]

A number of European nations have earmarked deployable units, usually the French, Italians and Spanish, for international missions. I exclude SWAT teams. When I looked at this issue a few years ago both Australia (AFP) and Canada (RCMP) had small teams available to deploy.

There is the USMC Security Force Regiment. Neither exactly SWAT nor gendarme, if I understand correctly.

[TheCurmudgeon]

There is the USMC Security Force Regiment. Neither exactly SWAT nor gendarme, if I understand correctly.

I think I like the idea, I just think they are in the wrong branch. The Marines should not be an occupation force (constabulary force), and that is where I see the gendarmerie conceptually being used. The Marines are a short duration force, at least as I understand them. This mission should fall to the Army (under the American force structure).