The (; PJ; ) is the national criminal investigation police agency of Portugal, focused in fighting serious crimes, including homicides, kidnapping, organized crime, terrorism, illegal drug trade, corruption, cybercrime and financial crime. It is integrated into the Ministry of Justice, but operates under the supervision of the Public Ministry.
Several countries and territories that were once overseas provinces of Portugal maintain criminal investigation police forces modeled after the Portuguese one, with some of them retaining also the name PolÃÂcia Judiciária. These are the cases of Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Macau.
The PolÃÂcia Judiciária Militar (Military Judiciary Police) is a separate criminal investigation police agency that operates under the Ministry of National Defense. This agency is responsible for the investigation of military crimes and crimes committed among the Portuguese Armed Forces.
The present PolÃÂcia Judiciária originates from a division of the old PolÃÂcia Civil (Civil Police). The PolÃÂcia Civil was founded on 2 July 1867, during the reign of LuÃÂs I of Portugal and changed its name to PolÃÂcia CÃÂvica (Civic Police) in 1910. By decree of 29 August 1893, the PolÃÂcia de Investigação Judiciária e Preventiva (Judicial Investigation and Preventive Police) branch of the PolÃÂcia Civil was created. In 1922, this branch became the PolÃÂcia de Investigação Criminal (PIC, Criminal Investigation Police). In 1927, it became an autonomous police service under the Ministry of Justice. On 20 October 1945, the PIC changed its name to PolÃÂcia Judiciária.
The PolÃÂcia Judiciária is headed by a National Director, appointed together by the Prime-Minister and the Minister of Justice.
The PolÃÂcia Judiciária can use virtually any weapons of any caliber if necessary.