Airport Security Police (Argentina)


The Policía de Seguridad Aeroportuaria is an Argentine law enforcement agency created to protect and guard national public airports. It was the first federally owned police institution, managed by civilians, to be created after Argentina's return to democracy in 1983.

Formation

On February 22, 2005, the national government, via Néstor Kirchner's presidential Decree No. 145/2005, transferred - structurally and functionally - the militarized National Aeronautical Police from within the Ministry of Defence to the Interior Ministry's orbit, creating the Airport Security Police, and joining it to the Homeland Security System. It belongs to the Ministry of Security. The decree also formalized the adoption of civil administration to this new police force, in order to restructure and normalize it. Its director is Marcelo Saín.

Functions

The mission of the Airport Security Police is airport security. This is understood as a specific aspect of public safety, and includes actions to protect and safeguard internal security within the jurisdiction of airports, through prevention, intelligence gathering and investigation of crimes and offenses that are not covered by the Aeronautics Code. PSA is therefore in charge of:
Unlike most police forces the ASP sports only an officers corps and no other ranks.