Guarda Nacional Republicana (National Republican Guard), created by Decree issued on 3 May 1911, is a paramilitary security force organised into a Special Corps of Troops. In peacetime, it is dependent upon the Ministry of Internal Affairs, for the purposes of recruitment, administration and performance of duties arising from its general mission, and on the National Ministry of Defence, for the purposes of standardisation and regulation of the military doctrine, arms and equipment.
Notwithstanding the competences attributed to it by Law and by other bodies, the GNR’s missions are: to guarantee, within the scope of its responsibility, the maintenance of public order, to ensure that people may exercise and enjoy their rights, liberties and guarantees; to maintain and reinstate the safety of citizens and public, private and cooperative property, preventing or suppressing illicit acts committed against them, assisting the judiciary, and taking action under orders in the capacity of criminal police force; to take steps to ensure that the law and general provisions are obeyed, particularly in respect of overland traffic and road transport; to combat tax offences, particularly in respect of customs law; to collaborate in controlling the entry to and exit from Portugal of Portuguese and foreign nationals, and to defend and safeguard property which is at risk due to human action or acts of nature; to collaborate in the execution of the national defence policy.
In addition to its Specialised, Representation, Intervention and Reserve Units, the GNR’s structure additionally comprises 20 Territorial Commands (one in each of mainland Portugal’s 18 Districts, and one each in Madeira and the Azores), including the Faro Territorial Command, which is responsible for policing the District of Faro, with the exception of the area comprising Faro Airport and the cities of Portimão, Lagos, Faro, Olhão, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António.
The Faro Territorial Command comprises six Territorial Brigades (Tavira, Faro, Loulé, Albufeira, Silves and Portimão), one Traffic Brigade and one Intervention Brigade.
In the performance of its duties, the GNR strives to promote a policy of Proximity Policing, which is based on:
For more information please refer to the Guarda Nacional Republicana website.
Its aim is to further enhance police/community cooperation and therefore help you and the police keep your local area a safe place to live and visit. By clicking on the area where you live on the interactive map below will provide you with:
To find the closest GNR station to you, with contact details, simply download the list in alphabetical order here.