government

New agency gets veteran leader

Jorge Fernández/LA PRENSA

in charge:Inspector Abdiel Rentería has been named the interim director of the newly-created SEC, one of the agencies that will replace the Policía Técnica Judicial.1002381

A veteran police officer has been tapped to lead the Servicio de Criminalística (SEC), one of the agencies replacing the Policía Técnica Judicial (PTJ).

Inspector Abdiel Rentería was selected as the agency's head during a meeting last Wednesday of the Instituto de Medicina Legal (Imel), which will oversee the SEC under the new law enforcement structure that is currently being implemented.

Rentería was the most senior officer within the PTJ's criminalistics area, and has extensive experience in the field, said Imel Director José Vicente Pachar.

The inspector was named to his post on an interim basis while the appointment is reviewed by other agencies. That process is expected to take several months.

As for how the SEC will operate, Pachar explained that the basic structure will be the same as when it was part of the PTJ, but it will have greater autonomy.

Imel, including the SEC, will have a staff of some 500 officers. The agency's offices will be in the former PTJ barracks in Curundú.

The SEC will handle crime scene investigations and oversee the toxicology laboratories. It will also oversee the country's forensic biology department.

According Pachar, the SEC will be supported by forensic specialists from France, Spain and the United States.