Ecuador and USA sign agreement against organised crime infiltration in police
Ecuador and the United States signed in Quito the 'Police Integrity 360' project to strengthen internal controls and prevent infiltration by organised crime.
Bilateral agreement to shield Ecuadorian police from organised crime
Ecuador and the United States signed this Friday in Quito the implementation letter for the Police Integrity 360 project, according to vistazo.com. The initiative aims to strengthen the systems of control, evaluation and internal supervision of Ecuador's National Police in order to prevent infiltration attempts by transnational organised crime.
The project encompasses training, infrastructure, technology and new trust-control mechanisms within the institution, according to details provided by the United States Embassy in Ecuador.
Two new regional centres and polygrapher training
Among the planned measures is the creation and equipping of two regional control and trust centres in Guayaquil and Manta, which will expand police evaluation and supervision capabilities beyond Quito. Additionally, a training centre will be developed in the capital and seventeen police polygraphers will be trained and certified.
Trust controls will include polygraph, psychological, toxicological and financial evaluations, among other mechanisms aimed at detecting irregularities or risk factors in the institution. Specialised technology will also be incorporated and processes at the Control and Trust Centre will be digitalised to improve information management and standardisation of procedures.
Statements from signatories
Lawrence Petroni, head of the United States diplomatic mission in Ecuador, stated during the signing ceremony: "Integrity is not a supplement to police work, it is a foundation. Every officer who serves with honesty deserves an institution that backs their commitment."
Interior Minister John Reimberg stated that, whilst confronting "criminal organisations on the streets, at the borders and in the territories", there exists "an equally important obligation: to protect the integrity of those who have the responsibility to combat them".
For his part, General Commander of the National Police, Pablo Dávila, described the signing as an "important step to strengthen the mechanisms" of control and trust, and underlined the need to "anticipate" risks and "prevent improper conduct".
Polygrapher graduation as framework for the signing
The event took place during the closing ceremony of the Advanced Polygraph Techniques Course, developed with United States support through the United States-Colombia Plan of Action (USCAP). At that ceremony, nine police officers and four Ecuador Navy personnel were graduated.
In recent years, Ecuador and the United States have deepened their cooperation in security matters, with emphasis on the fight against drug trafficking, through technical assistance and delivery of equipment to Ecuadorian security forces.
Source: Google News EC — Crime