The U.S. government donated on Friday $1,410,000 to the Costa Rican government to finance a criminal analysis laboratory and four armored vehicles.
 - U.S. Embassy and OIJ courtesy photos

- Published: Monday, February 10, 2020 -




By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The U.S. government donated on Friday $1,410,000 to the Costa Rican government to finance a criminal analysis laboratory and four armored vehicles.

According to the Judicial Investigation Organization, the new Laboratory of Specialized Crime Search Trace Evidence, so-called LACEBET, has become a reality "thanks to the help of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the U.S. Embassy. "

U.S. government investment for it was $410,000 into this laboratory, said the judicial agency.

"Our commitment to helping Costa Rica is real. Costa Rica is our friend, our ally, a bastion of peace and stability in a region increasingly beset by organized crime and violence," said Sharon Day, ambassador of the U.S. "Costa Rican police organizations are the most capable in the region, and that is why our goal is to give them the ability to achieve success in improving security in their communities, for the benefit of Costa Rica and our region, including the United States."

According to the Judicial Investigation Organization, the plan to develop a specialized laboratory began in 2012 as a project of Alejandro Castillo, head of Unit K-9, and Tatiana López, a biologist of the forensic department.

"This laboratory will have suitable spaces to work with light as well as darkness, emergency equipment, such as for washing the eyes in case of emergencies, specialized floors so that microorganisms don't adhere among others," López said. "It will also have space so that people who must or wish to be present during the tests can watch it. It is a closed space where there will be more control and will reduce the possibility of contamination and/or loss of evidence."

According to Walter Espinoza, director of the Judicial Investigation Organization, this laboratory will allow for more efficiency and accuracy for finding evidence, which also implies the strengthening of the specialized unit, composed of forensic biologists, specialists in other forensic areas and the K-9 unit.

The bulk of the donation, $1 million, goes for four armored vehicles, Ford F-350 Super Duty brand, valued in $250,000 each. The Judicial Investigation Organization, which received one of the vehicles, said the four will be used for patrolling high-crime neighborhoods and for confronting riots.  The Ministry of Security is getting the remaining three.

"This donation of four armored vehicles is a reiteration of the support and commitment to the security of Costa Rica," said the U.S. Embassy.

Some of the most important and recent donations from the U.S. government to Costa Rica, to strengthen security were:


In December, the U. S. government announced the donation of $6 million for aircraft maintenance, pilot training and technical support for a new King Air 250 plane that was purchased by Costa Rican government.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the $7.5 million aircraft was purchased with the budget of the National Air Surveillance Service, which is part of the ministry.

Also in December, the U.S. Embassy through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs donated eight canines to Costa Rica’s police forces.


The official donation took place during the promotion ceremony of the National Police Academy, where Ambassador Day highlighted that the curriculum of the Police Academy now includes a course on K-9 instruction and emphasized the importance of continuing to work with Costa Rica to create a more secure environment for its people and the region," said the U.S. Embassy at the time.

In October the U.S. Embassy through Bureau of International Narcotics donated $413,496 for the remodeling and improvements in the polygon in La Reforma jail, located in the province of Alajuela.


"We offer our most sincere congratulations for completing the remodeling of the polygon in La Reforma," said Day then. "This is a critical piece of our joint efforts for improving the capacity of police officers."

In August the bureau donated six Suzuki DR-650 motorcycles to the municipalities of the districts of Alajuelita, Mora and Desamparados, in San José Province.


"Each municipality received two motorcycles that, according to mayors, will support and improve their citizen security programs," said the U.S. Embassy then.

In March 2019, the U.S. government donated four helicopters as part of a two-year program between Costa Rica and the U.S. Embassy.


"The Costa Rican government will use these aircraft to enhance their fight against illegal drug trafficking and increase the country’s capability to attend the crisis related to natural disasters," said the embassy.

During this two-year period, the United States will be in charge of maintaining the helicopters, purchasing spare parts and training Costa Rican pilots and maintenance personnel. Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security Air Surveillance Service will assume all operational costs, said the announcement at the time..

According to Day, these helicopters represent the United States’ commitment to its security partnership with Costa Rica, which predates the arrival of these aircraft and will continue long after the two-year aviation program has finished.

In April the bureau donated the two 38-foot interceptors vessels, equipped with state of the art technology to the Costa Rican National Coast Guard Service.


The two vessels are valued at $750,000 each, said the U.S. Embassy in its statement, adding that "With this donation, the Costa Rican National Coast Guard Service will have an increased capacity to survey Costa Rica’s territorial waters."



 
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What other types of sophisticated equipment to fight against crime could the U. S. donate to Costa Rica?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com