Historia de la protección policial en Colombia: Antecedentes y transformaciones de los servicios especializados, 1891–2026

This study examined the historical background and transformations of the Colombian National Police’s protection services between 1891 and 2026. It aimed to establish which functional continuities and organizational changes could be substantiated without retrospectively attributing the identity of a contemporary directorate to earlier structures. A qualitative historical-documentary analysis of legislation, case law, academic studies, and institutional publications was conducted through purposive selection and cross-checking of names, organizational affiliations, responsibilities, and protected persons and assets. Functional continuity, organizational succession, and changes in designation were distinguished as interpretive categories. The findings showed that the general protective function preceded specialized structures but did not establish the existence of the Directorate of Protection and Special Services since 1891. A Specialized Services Division was identified in 1983, a directorate in 1992, and subsequent hierarchical changes. Judicial protection had an antecedent reported in academic literature dating to 1985 and a regulatory system for protecting persons and premises established in November 1992. The institutional date of 1998 was distinguished from the designation explicitly documented in 2006, although its earliest use could not be conclusively established. The 2022 reform revealed a diversified portfolio encompassing children, tourism, persons facing verified risks, and facilities. A verifiable history requires connecting functions, structures, and sources rather than merely sequencing names and anniversaries. Limitations included unavailable original internal administrative acts and uneven territorial coverage. The study contributes a critical chronology and a documentary verification agenda for institutional memory and police training.