Several countries and territories that were once overseas provinces of Portugal maintain criminal investigation police forces modeled after the Portuguese one, with some of them retaining also the name Polícia Judiciária.

35042 of 20 October 1945 under the direction of Judge Monteiro Júnior, and was organically integrated into the Ministry of Justice, replacing the Criminal Investigation Police (PIC).

Initially based in Lisbon, Oporto and Coimbra, a few years after its creation the Polícia Judiciária embarked on a process of territorial expansion, setting up new departments in various parts of the country, especially in areas with high crime rates.

275-A/2000 of 9 November 2000, approving the organisational structure of the PJ and the statutory rules governing the special corps of this police, and more than 10 years since Law No.

In fact, the last decades have seen profound social and economic changes that go beyond the territorial barriers of the State, with unequivocal repercussions as to the way in which criminal acts are committed.

The danger posed today by the phenomenon of terrorism and the constant change in transnational organised crime, which is becoming increasingly sophisticated, therefore evokes realities that call for an appropriate and effective response by the State.

Thus, the mission and tasks of the PJ are deepened, in view of the current legal and institutional framework in terms of criminal investigation and internal security, with the resulting anticipated organisation of powers conferred by the aforementioned systems.

The challenges faced by the Portuguese society today are based on the strong conviction that a specially prepared, technically and scientifically robust criminal police is essential, backed by an organisational structure founded on the idea of a greater interconnection between the various units, making it clear that the operational core structure is based on units integrating the criminal investigation area.

While continuing to recognise the important role of the Institute for Judiciary Police and Criminal Sciences, maintaining it as a central unit in the dependency of the national director, its performance in terms of specific training of the PJ staff and the consolidation of technical and scientific knowledge in criminal investigation and other related areas, together with the driving force that it can establish in the deepening of knowledge, as regards the exchange with other similar or academic entities, as well as in the promotion and disclosure of multidisciplinary scientific research, must be stressed.

As it evolves and keeps pace with the complexity and sophistication of society, the Polícia Judiciária defines itself as a higher criminal police force, hierarchically positioned under the Minister of Justice and supervised in accordance with the law.