The police reorganization of 1988 creating the Technical Police (PT) gave it the same functions as its predecessor, the Investigative Police of Peru. The PT served as Peru's intelligence service for state security, as well as an investigative unit in criminal and terrorist cases, much like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States. A special section, the National Counterterrorism Division (Dirección Nacional Contra el Terrorismo--Dincote, formerly known as Dircote) focused mainly on the SL and MRTA. Headquartered in Lima's Rímac district, the largely plainclothes PT also operated out of the same main regional offices as the military and the PG, or on special assignment from the Lima office. As of 1986, the PT had a total staff of 13,165, including a few women agents, and was fully autonomous from the former Civil Guard (GC).

The effects of the police reorganization on PT training were not clear by 1990, but the PT's distinctive responsibilities probably assured continuity rather than change. Despite suffering from the same restrictions and limitations imposed by the economic crisis and the insurgency, the PT showed fewer signs of trouble than its sister services. The PT's Instruction Center was based in the San Isidro district of Lima and offered both a full four-year course for prospective officers in its Cadet School, as well as specialized training in police technology and criminology in its Detective School. Successful completion of mid-career courses was a requirement for eligibility for continued advancement in the service.

In September 1992, Dincote succeeded in capturing SL head Guzmán. This gave the government and the police forces a badly needed major victory against the Shining Path at a critical juncture and greatly enhanced the standing of the country's beleaguered police forces.

Data as of September 1992