OIJ Director Calls It
Quits, Blames Lack of
Funding
The director of the
Organismo de
Investigación Judicial (OIJ),
Jorge Rojas, announced
yesterday that he is
calling it quits and
will step down from the
post he has held for the
last six years on
February 1. Rojas blames
the lack of funding for
the police agency for
his decision to resign.
Rojas had threatened on
many occasions that he
would step down unless
the judicial police
agency got more money to
operate. They were all
bluffs into forcing the
loosening of the purse
strings. However, this
time, the decision is
real.
'The investigation of
crime has gotten worse
due to lack of financial
resources; we are
outdate. We have a large
number of cases for each
investigator", said
Rojas during his
resignation
announcement.
"We have had 58.000
cases this year so far
and only 500 agents.
This is not fair for the
investigators nor for
the complainants", said
Rojas.
The OIJ director added
that he was asked why
make such a big fuss,
just quit and let the
incoming director deal
with the problem. Rojas
chose, however, to make
his point known.
Rojas, who had been
expected to stay longer
at the post, will be
ending a 32 year police
career.
The OIJ finances have
kept up with inflation
counting with budget of
¢24 billion colones ofr
2008. According to Rojas
that does not leave any
room for investments in
things like laboratories
and vehicles, for
example, which are
necessary tools.
Rojas joined the
Judicial police in 1975
and became director in
2001 taking over from
Libeth Saborio after
heading the OIJ Alajuela
delegation between 1990
and 1997 and prior to
that chief of secciones
de Hechos del Tránsito,
Estafas, Robos and
Investigaciones
Criminales, starting his
career as an agent in
the sección de
Inspecciones Oculares.
Resigning along with
Rojas is also Carlos
Morera, a trusted aide
to Rojas and current
chief of Departamento de
Investigaciones
Criminales. Morera has
stepped in for Rojas as
acting director on a
number of occasions. |
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