Editing Panamanian Public Forces (section)

===Panamanian Public Forces===
In February 1990, the government of then President [[Guillermo Endara]] abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus, creating the Panamanian Public Forces.  In October 1994, Panama's Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the establishment of a special temporary military to counter acts of "external aggression." The PDF was replaced with the Panamanian Public Forces.{{sfn|Pérez|2010|p=}}

By then, The PPF included the National Police, National Maritime Service, National Air Service, Judicial and Technical Police (PTJ) for investigatory activities, and an armed Institutional Protection Service or SPI which consist mainly on the Presidential Guard. The PPF is also capable of performing limited military duties.

In contrast to the former PDF, the Panamanian Public Forces is on public record and under control of the elected government.

In 2007, the Judicial and Technical Police (PTJ) was split into the Judicial Investigation Directorate (DIJ), which was merged back into the National Police, and a group of minor technical services that were to remain under the General Attorney's control.{{sfn|Pérez|2010|p=}}

In November 2008, the ''Servicio Aéreo Nacional'' (National Air Service) merged with its maritime counterpart, the ''Servicio Maritimo Nacional'' (National Maritime Service) to become the ''Servicio Nacional Aeronaval'' (National Aeronaval Service). The new ''Servicio Nacional de Fronteras'', the National Borders Service, at the time a special branch of the National Police, was created as an independent force from the National Police, for the defense of the national borders.{{sfn|Pérez|2010|p=}}

[[File:US Navy 080813-N-6266K-036 American and Panamanian security forces practice water steering and maneuvering.jpg|thumb|American and Panamanian security forces practice water steering and maneuvering]]
The following three years were formative for the Panamanian Public Forces. As these institutions endeavored to understand their roles within the greater Government of Panama's strategy and goals, the services struggled for funding, manning, and training to counter Panama's burgeoning threats. While the separate services within the Panamanian Public Forces received varying levels of government support, the Forces writ large respected human rights.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/wha/154514.htm|title=Panama|work=U.S. Department of State|access-date=2017-06-29}}</ref>