Law enforcement in Guatemala

Guatemalan law enforcement, mainly performed by the civilian-led National Civil Police of Guatemala(PNC), yet assisted by its military, which has a poor record with regard to human rights violations.

During President general Otto Pérez Molina, elected in 2012, stepped up the use of military reinforcement in the country's law enforcement, which was introduced in 2005 as a 'temporary measure' yet lasted several electoral periods.

[2] More recently, in October 2012, six people were killed and another 34 injured when soldiers opened fire into a crowd of indigenous protesters.

[3] After the internal conflict, as part of the peace agreements, the Policia Nacional Civil (PNC) was established as national civilian police with a nationwide jurisdiction and a departament based division.

These "Citizen Security Squadrons" range from Huehuetenango to Quiche and Alta Verapaz, from Escuintla to Suchitepequez and Santa Rosa, and from Zacapa to Izabal and Chiquimula, and are also stationed in Guatemala City.