The National Gendarmerie (French: Gendarmerie nationale) is one of two national law enforcement force of Senegal (the other being the Police Force), serving as a branch of the Armed Forces of Senegal.[1] As a military unit, it is placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Armed Forces. It is similar in nature to their French counterparts as well as the State Police in the U.S.[2] It is one of the largest African contributors to peacekeeping missions around the world.[3]
The history of the Senegalese gendarmerie is closely linked to that of the Red Guard of Senegal. It evolved from a French colonial Spahi detachment sent to Senegal in 1845. This detachment (which became today's Red Guard) was the cadre around which the "Colonial Gendarmerie" was formed. In 1854, a detachment of gendarmes on foot was created by the imperial decree of 30 September.
On 1 January 1928, by a decree of the Governor-General of French West Africa, the "Mobile Gendarmerie Group " of Dakar was created. This unit, commanded by a lieutenant, was made of two platoons of auxiliaries on horseback, each commanded by a chief marshal. They were responsible for the personal care of the Governor General.[4] It developed under the direction of Captain Gaston Merhle from 1921 to 1941, then under reforms in the 1950s.[3] In 1957, the Gendarmerie group of Senegal was established by ministerial decision of November 27. In 1958, the first Senegalese police cadets were recruited.
In 1963, Captain Ameth Falle became the first Senegalese director of the gendarmerie.[3] In 1963, Decree No. 63-294 of May 11 organized the Senegalese National Gendarmerie as an integral part of the Senegalese Armed Forces.[3] In October 1965, a decree organized the General Inspectorate of the Gendarmerie and the Senegalese Republican Guard, while it was confirmed as a service branch in 1968.[5] In the first decade of independence, the 1,600-member National Gendarmerie, which was controlled by the president through the minister of state for the armed forces, maintained "legions" in the country's seven regions, divided into smaller brigades.[3]
In the following years, the Gendarmerie included an intervention legion in 1976, as well as the Intervention Group of the Senegalese National Gendarmerie (GIGNS) in 1977, the reorganization of the high command in 1991, the opening of recruitment to women in 2006 and the creation of a School for National Gendarmerie Officers (EOGN) in 2007, in Ouakam.
The commander is General Moussa Fall, whose rank is divisional general, and whose full job title is "High Commander of the Gendarmerie and Director of Military Justice". He is assisted by a Second High Commandant. The main missions of the gendarmerie are to ensure public safety and to ensure the maintenance of order and the execution of laws and regulations.[3]
