Institutional Protection Service

Not to be confused with Institutional Protection Scheme.
Institutional Protection Service
Servicio de Protección Institucional
Panama SPI emblem
Panama SPI emblem
AbbreviationSPI
MottoDemocracia Orden Constitucional
Democracy and Constitutional Order
Agency overview
Formed1990
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionPanama
Constituting instrument
  • Decree Law No. 2, 1999[1]
Specialist jurisdiction
  • Protection of international or domestic VIPs, protection of significant state assets.
Operational structure
Overseen byMinistry of the Presidency
HeadquartersPanama City
Agency executive
  • Julio Cesar Jean-Louis Garrido[2], Director General
Parent agencyPanamanian Public Forces
Website
www.spi.gob.pa

The Institutional Protection Service (Spanish: Servicio de Protección Institucional) is a service branch of the Panamanian Public Forces. The Institutional Protection Service was organized in March 1990 to assume the functions previously assigned to the former presidential guard. Based in Panama City, attached to the Ministry of the Presidency. He is in charge of providing protection to the Panamanian authorities such as the President of the Republic of Panama, the Ministers, Ex-Presidents and the Ex-Vice Presidents in charge of the Presidency of the Republic, as provided in this Decree Law; as well as contributing to the maintenance of internal public order, peace, citizen security, protecting public spaces and buildings.

It was created through Decree Law No. 2 of July 8, 1999.[1] Some of its functions also include the protection of the banks of the Panama Canal and surveillance of public spaces such as the Cinta Costera and Calzada de Amador.

It has approximately more than 2,000 units that are distributed in 3 different company groups.[3][4]

  1. ^ a b Organico del Servicio de Proteccion Institucional (PDF) (2) (in Spanish). 8 July 1999.
  2. ^ "Honorable Señor Julio Cesar Jean-Louis Garrido – Director General del SPI". SPI. Government of Panama. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  3. ^ Worldwide Government Directory with Intergovernmental Organizations 2013. CQ Press. 2013. p. 1249. ISBN 1452299374.
  4. ^ "Cambio de mando en el SPI". Crítica (in Spanish). July 5, 2019. Retrieved February 29, 2020.