Gendarmerie (Belgium)

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Belgian Gendarmerie Rijkswacht (Dutch) Gendarmerie (French)
A flaming grenade is the symbol of the gendarmerie forces
Agency overview
Formed	10 July 1796 – 1 January 1992 (as military unit) 1 January 1992 – 1 April 2001 (as civilian organization)
Dissolved	2001
Superseding agency	Federal Police
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Belgium
General nature	Gendarmerie Civilian police
Operational structure
Parent agency	Ministry of Defence (1978–1992) Ministry of the Interior (1992–2001)
Notables
Significant Battles	WWI WWII Années de plomb (Years of lead)

The Gendarmerie (French) or Rijkswacht (Dutch) was the former national Gendarmerie force of the Kingdom of Belgium. It became a civilian police organisation in 1992, a status it retained until 1 January 2001, when it was, together with the other existing police forces in Belgium, abolished and replaced by the Federal Police and the Local Police.