NATIONAL POLICE

ADMINISTRATION
TAIWAN
OVERVIEW
The police force in Taiwan is divided into the national and local levels. They
are both under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior through the
National Police Administration. Taiwan has a unified or centralized police
system that is very different from the United State's localized or
decentralized police system.
Police Taiwan History
The establishment of the Peking Public Inspection Headquarters in 1902 (Ching
Dynasty) can be seen as the origin of the modern police of the Republic of China
(ROC).

After the Republic was founded (1912), the central government set up the
National Police Department (NPD), directly under the Ministry of the Interior (MOI),
to supervise national police affairs. Under the NPD, there were the Police
Headquarters in the Capital, the Provincial Police Administration in each province,
the Police Department in each special municipality, and the Police Bureau in each
county.
Police Taiwan History
When Taiwan was restored to the ROC sovereignty in 1945, the Taiwan
Provincial Police Administration (TPPA) was set up under the Taiwan Provincial
Administration Office. Under TPPA, there were the City Police Department
respectively in Taipei, Keelung, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Tainan, Hsinchu, Chiayi,
Changhua and Pingtung, and the County Police Department in Taipei, Hsinchu,
Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, and the Police Section under the local government
of Hualien harbor, Taitung and Penghu.

The central government upgraded the National Police Department to the

National Police Service (NPS) in 1946.
Police Taiwan History
On May 15, 1947, following the establishment of Taiwan Provincial Government
(TPG), the Taiwan Provincial Police Administration (TPPA) took charge of Taiwan
provincial police affairs according to the Administrative Regulations of Taiwan
Provincial Government.
In1949, the NPS was downsized as the National Police Department (NPD).

On July 15, 1972, the NPD was reorganized as the National Police Agency
(NPA) and co-operated with the TPPA to trim and streamline the organization and
costs.

In July 1992, the household registration was separated from the police affairs.
Police Taiwan History
On March 1, 1995, in accordance with the autonomous spirit of the ROC
Constitution, the Taiwan Provincial Police Administration (TPPA) was separated from
the National Police Agency. In the same March, the fire prevention and disaster rescue
was separated from the police affairs and transferred to the fire-fighting agency
concerned.

On January 16, 1997, the Taiwan Provincial Police Administration was

upgraded with the same English name.

On July 1, 1999, the Taiwan Provincial Police Administration (TPPA) was taken
over by the National Police Agency of the MOI due to the downsizing of the provincial
government.

On February 2, 2000, the administration of the maritime police office was

transferred to the Coast Guard Administration of the Executive Yuan.
FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES
The police functions in Taiwan are clearly defined in the Police Act as follows:

1) to maintain public order

2) to protect social security,
3) to prevent all dangers, and
4) to promote the welfare of all people.
FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES
The police are responsible for enforcing the law and maintaining public
order but are also responsible for crime prevention and the protection of the
lives and property of others. They are also assigned particular duties which are
not practiced in many countries. These include:
1) management of exit from and entry into Taiwan; the police handle
immigrations affairs
2) civil defense and disaster rescue
3) fire prevention and fire fighting
4) order maintenance and riot control,
5) assistance for other government affairs whenever necessary.
COMPARISON
TAIWAN PHILIPPINES
Police Rank 4 Senior Police Officer 4
Police Rank 3 Police Officer 1 / Senior Police Officer 3
Police Rank 2 Police Officer 1 / Senior Police Officer 2
Police Rank 1 Police Officer 1 / Senior Police Officer 1
Police Office Rank 4 (Inspector) (Sub-Liutenant) Inspector
Police Office Rank 3 (Senior Inspector) (Captain) Senior Inspector / Chief Inspector
Police Office Rank 2 (Superintendent) Superintendent
Police Office Rank 1 (Senior Superintendent) Senior Superintendent
COMPARISON
TAIWAN PHILIPPINES
Police Supervisor Rank 4 Chief Superintendent
Police Supervisor Rank 3
Police Supervisor Rank 2 PNP- Police Director
Police Supervisor Rank 1 PNP- Deputy Director
Police Supervisor Rank Supreme (Police General) PNP – Director General
POLICE ORGANIZATION OF TAIWAN
CASES
Six convicts carrying rifles and handguns took hostages at Kaohsiung Prison in
what is being called the biggest jailbreak attempt in Taiwan’s history, triggering a
massive show of force by SWAT teams and various police units outside the facility that
was continuing as of press.
There were tense scenes outside the facility in Daliao District, as the Kaohsiung
City Police Department coordinated the deployment of more than 250 officers, including
riot police, SWAT teams and a Marine assault squad, along with other units of military
special operation forces, all of them heavily armed.