This unit is under the command of the Operative Directorate of the Colombian National Police.

The Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios (ESMAD) was born as a decentralized unit from the Colombian National Police on February 24, 1999, by a transitional directorate, beginning with 9 officers, 8 non-commissioned officers and 200 patrollers mainly to support Colombian Departments and Metropolitan police forces to control and/or neutralize population disturbances or public events when their forces seem outnumbered or incapable to handle their action capacity.

The unit is said to be trained on human rights issues[1][failed verification] however in 2006, it was largely criticized and questioned for some of its actions during the National University of Colombia riots.

Senator Wilson Arias denounced the investment of around 8,000 million pesos.

[2] In the midst of the COVID-19 health emergency, the Colombian government prefers to invest[clarification needed] in a force that has injured more than 800 people and from which 43 victims have been confirmed[3] before 2021.