Romanian Police
The Romanian Police is the national police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated to the Ministry of Administration and Interior and it is led by a General Inspector with the rank of Secretary of State.
Duties
The Romanian Police are responsible for:- the protection of the fundamental rights and liberties of the citizens and of the private and public property
- the prevention and identification of criminal offences and their perpetrators
- maintaining the public order and safety
Organization
The organizational chart of General Inspectorate of Romanian Police includes general directorates, directorates, services and, offices established by the order of the Minister of Administration and Interior.
The General Inspectorate is under the command of a General Inspector appointed by the Minister of Administration and Interior. Since March 2015, the General Inspector of the Police is appointed by the Prime Minister and also holds the rank of Secretary of State.
Central units
- General Directorate for Countering the Organized Crime - with 5 central directorates and 15 regional Brigades of Countering Organized Criminality. These Brigades are specialized units and have the mission to fight against organized crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal migration, cyber crime, serious financial frauds, financing terrorism and money laundering.
- General Directorate for Criminal Investigations - with 3 central directorates: Fraud Investigations Directorate, Criminal Investigations Directorate, Directorate of Firearms, Explosives and Toxic Substances.
- General Directorate for Public Safety Police - with 3 central directorates: Public Order Directorate, Traffic Police Directorate, Transport Police Directorate.
- General Directorate for Administrative Police - with 4 central directorates: Forensics Institute, Directorate for Criminal Records, Statistics and Operational Registry, Directorate for Logistics Management, the Directorate for IT&C.
Territorial units
The Romanian Police is divided into 41 County Police Inspectorates, corresponding to each county, and The Bucharest General Directorate of Police.Each County Police Inspectorate has a rapid reaction unit. The similar unit attached to the Bucharest Police is called Serviciul de Poliție pentru Intervenție Rapidă.
Facilities and equipment
The Romanian Police has, altogether, roughly 9,500 intervention vehicles. The fleet is mostly comprised by Dacia Logans and various Volkswagen vehicles. Mercedes Vito is yet another model in use, used by the special forces, border police and others. The Road/Traffic Police also has BMWs, Seat and Lotus vehicles, used for road chasing.In 2020, the Ministry of Interior Affairs acquired 6,744 brand new vehicles which also feature a new painting scheme, similar to those in Germany or Sweden. These are to be delivered by the end of Autumn 2020 and are going to be produced at the local Dacia factory in Mioveni.
The police also uses helicopters for air surveillance and immediate response. The most common manufacturer is Eurocopter.
A policeman on duty carries a sidearm, a pair of handcuffs, an expandable baton, a radio communication device and identification.
In 2020, the Romanian Police acquired 25,000 Beretta Px4 pistols, they are scheduled to enter regular service by the end of 2020.
Ranks
Before 2002, the National Police had military status and a military ranking system. In June 2002 it became a civilian police force and its personnel was structured into two corps:- Corpul ofițerilor de poliție - corresponding to the commissioned ranks of a military force, to the ranks of Inspector, Superintendent and Commissioner in a British-style police force or to the both Corps de conception et de direction and Corps de commande et d'encadrement in the French National Police.
| Rank | Shoulder insignia | Translated as | Military rank equivalent | French police rank equivalent | British Metropolitan Police rank equivalent |
| Chestor-șef de poliție | Police Chief-Quaestor | General | Directeur des services actifs | Commissioner | |
| Chestor-șef adjunct de poliție | Police Deputy-Quaestor | Lieutenant General | Inspecteur général | Assistant Commissioner | |
| Chestor principal de poliție | Police Principal Quaestor | Major General | Contrôleur général | Deputy Assistant Commissioner | |
| Chestor de poliție | Police Quaestor | Brigadier General | Contrôleur général | Commander | |
| Comisar-șef de poliție | Police Chief-Commissioner | Colonel | Commissaire divisionnaire | Chief Superintendent | |
| Comisar de poliție | Police Commissioner | Lieutenant Colonel | Commissaire de police | Superintendent Grade I | |
| Subcomisar de poliție | Police Sub-Commissioner | Major | Commandant | Superintendent | |
| Inspector principal de poliție | Police Principal Inspector | Captain | Capitaine | Chief Inspector | |
| Inspector de poliție | Police Inspector | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Inspector | |
| Subinspector de poliție | Police Sub-Inspector | Second Lieutenant | Lieutenant intern | Temporary/Probationary Inspector |
- Corpul agenților de poliție - corresponding to the non-commissioned ranks of a military force, to the Corps d'encadrement et d'application in the French National Police or to the ranks of Constable or Sergeant in a British-style police force.
| Rank | Shoulder insignia | Translated as | Military rank equivalent | French police rank equivalent | British police rank equivalent |
| Agent-șef principal de poliție | Police Principal Chief Agent | Sergeant Major | Brigadier-major | Station Sergeant | |
| Agent-șef de poliție | Police Chief Agent | Master Sergeant | Brigadier-chef | Station Sergeant | |
| Agent-șef adjunct de poliție | Police Deputy Chief Agent | Sergeant First Class | Brigadier | Sergeant | |
| Agent principal de poliție | Police Principal Agent | Staff Sergeant | Gardien de la paix | Acting Sergeant | |
| Agent de poliție | Police Agent | Sergeant | Gardien de la paix stagiaire | Constable |