The protection of the cultural heritage against acts of vandalism has aroused a particular interest of the National Gendarmerie Command, which to fight against this scourge, has initiated important measures by the creation of (07) seven regional cells specialized in the fight against the attacks on cultural property in 2005. These cells are located at (06) six regional headquarters of the National Gendarmerie Command in Blida, Oran, Bechar, Ouargla, Constantine (02 cells) and Tamanrasset.

Training
     The creation of these cells required specialized training of gendarmes in the fight against attacks on cultural property in collaboration with the Ministries of Culture and Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Missions
     The Cultural Heritage Protection Unit is requested to support and provide the necessary technical assistance for field units in the field of protection and repression of offences related to damage to cultural property by carrying out the following additional tasks :

• Inventory cultural property in the jurisdiction.
• Accompany tourists in cultural Heritage sites.
• Establish relationships with cultural heritage managers.
• Participate in the national and the international seminars related to the protection of cultural heritage.
• Organize awareness-raising campaigns for the benefit of civil society on the value and importance of the archaeological heritage.

Prospects
    To get more efficiency for the intervention of the National Gendarmerie units, on the domain of the protection of the cultural heritage, the National Gendarmerie command creates databases applied on a (GIS) dedicated to the protection of cultural heritage, with layers of geographical information relating to cultural heritage (administrative boundaries, road network, Culture and Tourism Directorate, historical sites, recovered art objects, museums... etc).