Argentina
Law enforcement in Argentina
Four federal forces under the Ministry of Security, and a provincial police in every province — with the prosecutor directing the investigation.
Facts on this page were checked against their sources on .
Policing in Argentina is dual. At the federal level there are four national forces under the Ministry of Security — the Argentine Federal Police, the National Gendarmerie, the Naval Prefecture and the Airport Security Police. Alongside them, each of the 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires has its own provincial police (a reserved power under Article 121), and those provincial forces handle the bulk of ordinary crime.
The same idea, explained generally
- Why do societies need law enforcement?
Law enforcement exists so that rules apply to everyone rather than to whoever can be compelled. This guide explains the function, the conditions that make it legitimate, and what it cannot do.
- What is the difference between police and law enforcement?
“Police” is one kind of institution. “Law enforcement” is a function that many bodies perform. This guide explains the distinction and why it matters when comparing countries.
Sources
Sources
Argentina — the federal security forces (Ministry of Security)
Government of Argentina (argentina.gob.ar) · Government publication · link verified 2026-07-27
The Government of Argentina's page on the federal security forces, read directly. Supports that the four national forces — the Argentine Federal Police (PFA), the National Gendarmerie (GNA), the Naval Prefecture (PNA) and the Airport Security Police (PSA) — sit under the national Ministry of Security. Establishes the federal police tier (each of the provinces additionally has its own provincial police under the reserved-powers rule).