The atlantic archipelago of Azores constitutes one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, with a number of devolved powers being performed by its Regional Government.
However, the law enforcement in the region remains mainly under the responsibility of the Central Government of Portugal, being performed by the several Portuguese national police agencies.
There are, however, minor law enforcement agencies dependent from the Regional Government of Azores like the forest police and the sanitary, food and economical police.
Also, at the end of 2009, Ponta Delgada became the first city of a Portuguese autonomous region to create its own municipal police force.
The several law enforcement agencies that operate in the Azores police a population of 240,000 people over an area of 2,333 km2.