OIJ With 250 New
Agents
To combat the rise in
crime, the Organismo de
Investigación Judicial (OIJ)
- judicial investigative
agency - has hired 250
new agents with the
funding of ¢7.5 billion
colones by the
government.
Jorge Rojas, director of
the OIJ, said the goal
is to add 500 new
agents.
The new hires in the
training process and
expected to be on the
streets as early as
November.
In addition to the
hiring of more agents,
Rojas said that they
agency has purchase 170
additional vehicles and
firearms to equip the
agents, of at least 100
will be assigned to
robbery and attacks on
private homes, 20 to
homicide, 35 to vehicle
thefts, 35 to assaults
and the rest to various
other units.
With the new agents, the
OIJ will be able to beef
up the delegations in
Alajuela, Limón,
Heredia, Puntarenas,
Liberia and Jacó,
according to director
Rojas.
In Costa Rica the OIJ is
the only investigative
agency, while the Fuerza
Pública (uniformed
police) provide patrols
and detention.
Many foreigners,
especially North
Americans, have
complained on the lack
of professionalism and
investigative detail of
the police (Fuerza
Pública) officials
responding to a crime,
not understanding their
role is one of first
line response, securing
the crime scene and
calling in the OIJ
investigators.
|
