Primarna odgovornost za očuvanje javnog reda je na Nacionalnoj policiji, koja je pod nadzorom ministra vlade i pravde. Policija se razvijala po sustavu pokrajinskih organizacija sve do formiranja prve nacionalne policijske organizacije 1937. Godine 1951. naziv je promijenjen iz Nacionalne civilne garde u Nacionalnu civilnu policiju, a 1979. u Nacionalnu policiju.

      Zemlja je podijeljena u četiri policijska okruga sa sjedištima u Quitu, Riobamba, Cuenca i Guayaquilu, svaki sa po pet komandi koje odgovaraju provincijskim granicama. Otoci Galapagos uključeni su u okrug Guayaquil. Nacionalna policija ima i tri podučne ustanove: Školu za osnovnu policijsku obuku, Trogodišnja akademija za oficire i Škola za visoko obrazovanje policijskih službenika koja je pružala napredne tečajeve.

      Prometna služba Nacionalne civilne policije funkcionira na teritoriji cijele države, osim u provinciji Guayas, koja ima vlastitu autonomnu prometnu policiju. Zadaće Prometne službe je kontrola rada vozila, provjera dozvola, kontrola prometne signalizacije i istraživanje prometnih nesreća.

      Primary responsibility for the preservation of public order rested with the National Police functioning under the supervision of the minister of government and justice. The police developed slowly under a system of provincial organizations until the formation of the first national police organization in 1937. In 1951 the name was changed from the National Civil Guard to the National Civil Police and in 1979 to the National Police.

      The country is divided into four police districts, with headquarters in Quito, Riobamba, Cuenca, and Guayaquil, each with five commands corresponding to provincial boundaries. The Galapagos Islands were included in the Guayaquil district. The National Police also had three instructional facilities: the Troop Training School, which offered basic instruction for enlisted ranks; the Officer Training School, a three-year academy for high school graduates; and the Police Officers' Higher Training School, which provided advanced courses.

      The traffic division of the Nacional Civil Police functions on all streets and highways except in Guayas Province, which has its own autonomous traffic police. The duties of the division are to control the operations of vehicles, check on licenses, control traffic signals, and investigate traffic accidents.