Armed Police Corps
The Policía Armada (English: Armed Police), conventional long names Cuerpo de Policía Armada y de Tráfico (English: Armed and Traffic Police Corps) and Fuerzas de Policía Armada (English: Armed Police Forces), —popularly known as los grises (English: the grey ones) owing to the color of their uniforms— was an armed urban police force of Spain established by the Francoist regime in 1939 to enforce the repression of all opposition to the regime. Its mission was "total and permanent vigilance, as well as repression when deemed necessary."
| Armed Police Cuerpo de Policía Armada y de Tráfico | |
|---|---|
| Common name | Policía Armada |
| Abbreviation | FPA |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 3 August 1939 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Dissolved | 4 December 1978 |
| Superseding agency | Cuerpo Nacional de Policía |
| Employees | 20,000 est. 1968 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| National agency | Francoist Spain |
| Operations jurisdiction | Francoist Spain |
| Governing body | Ministry of Governance |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Overseen by | Directorate General of Security |
| Headquarters | Madrid |
| Parent agency | Spanish Armed Forces (Francoist period) |
The first commander of the Policía Armada was General Antonio Sagardía Ramos. In its first years of operation the corps was inadequately equipped in armament and vehicles but this situation would be steadily straightened out.: 74