Romanian Gendarmerie / Jandarmeria Romana

The word gendarmerie means “men of the weapons,” which perfectly describes the members of Romania’s Gendarmerie. The Romanian Gendarmerie, under Law 550/2004, is the State’s specialized institution, with military status, within the Ministry of Administration and Interior which, according to the law, exercises its attributions on protection of public order and safety, citizens’ rights and fundamental liberties, public and private property, crime prevention and detection and other infringements of laws into force, as well as protection of State’s fundamental institutions and countering of terrorist acts. The Romanian Gendarmerie, by its attributions, organization, training and territorial setting, contributes to guarantee sovereignty, independence, authority, State safety and union, constitutional democracy across the entire national territory, at peace, as well as during crisis situations.

The Special Intervention Brigade of the Gendarmerie [aka the Special Brigade - "Vlad Tepes" Brigada Speciala de Interventie a Jandarmeriei], is directly subordinated to the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Gendarmerie and has general territorial competence, meant to achieve missions of assurance and re-establishment of public order, assurance of the protection of fundamental state’s institutions and neutralization of serious threats against them, independently or in co-operation with other institutions from the national defense and security system. The Special Brigade stipulated at par. (1) is made up of the command structure organized in services and compartments, special intervention battalions, detachments, logistic support sub-units and other gendarmerie structures set up according to the law.

The transformation process of Romanian society marked by December 1989 Revolution and re-setting of democratic institutions have decisively contributed to reformation of Gendarmerie and elaboration of a new concept concerning the position and the role of public order forces at the end of 20 th and the beginning of the 21 st century.

According to the Government Decision no. 0749, from July the 5th 1990, concerning increasing the action ability and enhancing the structure of the Ministry of Interior, The Guard and Order Troops HQ, changed in Gendarme Troops HQ. Afterwards, the Law no 40 in December the 18th 1990 granted legal status to the structure and the attributions of Gendarmes troops, trained to enforce the law, to observe and report to higher structures about situations that can threaten public safety and order in case of internal disorder and act to restore order.

The Law 116/1998, concerning organizing and functioning of Romanian Gendarmerie was an important moment in the process of reconstruction of democratic Romania. The act may be considered as a decisive moment in the process of reformation of our institution and stabilization of Romania , on its democratic course.

Being accepted as member of European and Mediterranean Polices and Gendarmeries Association, (F.I.E.P.) our institution became a European institution and the missions accomplished abroad, in the Ex-Yugoslavian space are the best argument of gendarmes' professionalism that are trained and educated to provide, ensure and defend order and democratic values.