National Border Service

National Border Service
*Servicio Nacional de Fronteras de la República de Panamá* (Spanish)
National Border Service; Servicio Nacional de Fronteras de la República de Panamá (Spanish)
	SENAFRONT emblem
Abbreviation	SENAFRONT
Motto	Dios y Patria; God and Country
Agency overview
Formed	August 8, 2008
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Panama
Constituting instrument	Decree Law No. 8, 2008;
General nature	Civilian police;
Specialist jurisdiction	National border patrol, security, and integrity.;
Operational structure
Overseen by	Ministry of Public Security
Sworn members	3,624 officers (2013)
Unsworn members	123 personnel (2013)
Elected officer responsible	Juan Manuel Pino Forero, Minister of Public Security;
Agency executives	Oriel Ortega Benitez, Director General; Roger E. Mojica R., Deputy Director General;
Parent agency	Panamanian Public Forces
Notables
Anniversary	August 8;
Website
	www.senafront.gob.pa

The National Border Service, also called SENAFRONT (abbreviation for Spanish: Servicio Nacional de Fronteras), is a police force specialized in the land border area and branch of the Panamanian Public Forces. Its mission is to protect Panama's land borders and protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and protect rights and freedoms of people, maintain public order, prevent and investigate crimes within their jurisdictions.^[1]

Created in 2008, it is the border guard branch of the Panamanian Public Forces.

Background

In case of emergency or a foreign attack on Panama, SENAFRONT is the principal entity of the security forces trained to plan, organize, direct and execute all actions that ensure the security of the territory and population within the sovereign jurisdiction of the land territories of Panama with attachment and loyalty to constitutional and legal order established in the country.

The Service was established in 2008, with Frank Abrego as its first Director General on the basis of the Border Police Directorate of the National Police.^[4]^[5]

Structure

The SENAFRONT is headed by a Director General, which is appointed by President of Panama with the recommendation of the Minister of Public Security per article 14 of Decree Law No. 8 of August 20, 2008.

At its foundation it had one brigade, the 1st (Southeastern) Border Brigade organized into the following:

Brigade HQ
Caribbean Battalion
Central Battalion
Pacific Battalion
Fluvial Battalion Sambu
General José De Fabregas Border Battalion
Service Support Battalion

The 2nd Border Brigade, raised in 2008, is responsible for the Caribbean coast segments of the border and is organized into and HQ and 4 subordinate battalions:

Puerto Obaldía Battalion
Nargana Battalion
Ustupu Battalion
Support Battalion

The then Western Battalion provided border security on the Costa Rica border, in 2017 it was transformed into the basis of the 4th Border Brigade and split into two battalions in 2020. The 4th Brigade is organized into a HQ and the following:

Guapito Battalion
Second Lieutenant (Border) Aurelio Serracín Border Battalion
COL Tomás Armuelles Border Battalion
Support Battalion

In 2020 the 3rd East Panama Brigade was raised to support law enforcement and border operations in Panama Province and Madungandí Township. Its ORBAT is organized as:

Brigade HQ
Chepo Battalion
Torti Battalion
Support Battalion

The 5th Special Forces Brigade is made up of a Special Forces Battalion, Special Boat Unit and a Motorized Infantry Battalion. The Special Forces battalion is organized into a headquarters and 3 companies as follows:

Reconnaissance Company and Combat Anti-Narcotics (RECOM).
Jungle Operations Company.
Cobra Assault and Infiltration.

The brigade also handles K-9 and SAR operations.

Its agents are often trained by the United States Army as there are daily clashes with FARC guerrillas on the border with Colombia.

Ranks

Commissioned officer ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
National Border Service^[6] v t e
National Border Service^[6] v t e							Director General		Subdirector General		Comisionado		Subcomisionado		Mayor		Capitán		Teniente			Subteniente

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
National Border Service^[6] v t e																																			No insignia
National Border Service^[6] v t e									Sargento primero								Sargento segundo						Cabo primero				Cabo segundo								Agente

Equipment

Small arms

Name	Origin	Type
Glock 17	Austria	9×19mm Semiautomatic pistol
CZ Scorpion Evo 3	Czech Republic	9×19mm submachine gun
Colt M16 assault rifle^[7]	United States	Assault rifle
Colt M4 carbine^[8]	United States	Carbine
IMI Galil ACE	Israel/ Colombia	Carbine
T65 Assault Rifle^[9]	Taiwan	Assault rifle
AKMS	Soviet Union	Assault rifle
AMD-65	Hungary	Carbine
AK-103	Russia	Assault rifle
SVD Dragunov	Soviet Union	Semiautomatic sniper rifle
M40A5 rifle	United States	Bolt-action sniper rifle
Barrett M82	United States	Semiautomatic sniper rifle
FN Minimi	Belgium	Light machine gun
M60 machine gun	United States	General Purpose Machine Gun
FN MAG^[10]	Belgium	General Purpose Machine Gun
PK machine gun	Soviet Union	General Purpose Machine Gun
Browning M1919A4	United States	General Purpose Machine Gun
M2HB Browning	United States	Heavy Machine Gun
M203 grenade launcher	United States	40 mm grenade launcher
RPG-7	Soviet Union	rocket-propelled Grenade
RPG-18	Soviet Union	rocket-propelled grenade