New Fuerza Pública Director Embroiled in Controversy
Earlier this week the first head rolled in president Oscar Aria's new administration, with the forced resignation of Samuel Schachtel Kaver.  (See story here)

Now, it appears that the newly appointed director of the Fuerza Pública, the country's police force, may also come under the same pressure over his directorship in private security company, Seguridad y Protección de Costa Rica (Seproco).

Osvaldo Alpízar, if facing a series of charges of "irregularities" that the Ministerio de Seguridad y Autoridades Judiciales is investigating.

According to reports, Alpizar's company has had 18 charges filed against it between October 2005 and the present.

The charges of "irregularities" include problems with the management of personnel. The reports say that the company had 'security officers' on its payroll that were not legally registered and carrying firearms without having the respective permits.

One employee of the security company also charges labour code violations.

According to the records of the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública (MSP), a number of the complaints received were made while the security company had employees were working at the Juan Santamaría International airport in San José.

A Seproco spokesperson said that there are some complaints under investigation while a number of others were already resolved.

The Ministerio de Seguridad Pública is analyzing the possibility of sanctioning the security company for its violations, that could include the suspension of its license and the resignation of the police director.

The cloud over Alpízar thickens as another company, Pam S.S., of which he is a director as well,  may face charges for not being registered with the MSP. The company is registered in Alajuela and according to Alpízar it never went into operations.

The controversy is getting bigger following reports that the vice-minister of the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública is also involved in a private security company.

The Fuerza Pública falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública.