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Program
description / Law | ICITAP by country
| Program
description |
Law |
| Through
the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program
(ICITAP), the Department of Justice provides training to police forces
and judiciaries in the Western Hemisphere. It was created in 1986
to train police forces in Latin America, but has now expanded its
work to other parts of the world. ICITAP has two main types of assistance
programs working with police forces on international peacekeeping,
and in emerging democracies.
ICITAP
works in tandem with OPDAT (Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance
and Training), a Justice Department program offering administration
of justice assistance.
ICITAP
seeks to:
- Enhance
investigative and forensic capabilities;
- Assist
in development of training curricula for personnel;
- Improve
administrative capabilities;
- Improve
the relationship between the police and community; and
- Enhance
their ability to respond to new crime and criminal justice issues.
ICITAP
is not a military training program; it is a program for training
civilian police and judicial functionaries. The program has, however,
trained some police forces within, or under the authority of, defense
ministries.
According
to the State Department's 2000 Congressional Presentation for
Foreign Operations, "Priority is given to countries in
transition to democracy, where unique opportunities exist for major
restructuring and refocusing of police and investigative resources
toward establishment of a rule of law."1
|
ICITAP
is authorized by section 534(b)(3) of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (P.L. 87-195, or the "FAA"), as amended. This section
permits the executive to create programs in Latin America and the
Caribbean to assist in administration of justice.
Section
534(b)(3) is a legal exception to the general ban on police assistance
enacted in section 660 of the FAA.
The
Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 and the International Narcotics Control
Act of 1990 expanded ICITAP's legal mandate to include specialized
assistance to Bolivia, Peru and Colombia. The Urgent Assistance
for Democracy in Panama Act of 1990 provided authority and funding
for large-scale civilian law enforcement assistance (otherwise outlawed
by Section 660 above) in Panama. Section 122 of Public Law 102-166
extended this coverage to El Salvador.
|
ICITAP
by country 2000-20033
| Country |
Goal |
Funding |
| Bolivia |
ICITAP's
assistance to Bolivia focused on implementation of the Criminal Code,
academy and training development, and reform within the Bolivian National
Police and has now ended. |
FY00-03:
$1,624,000
|
| Colombia |
ICITAP's
role in the Colombia Justice Sector Reform Project has consistently
focused on training and development efforts aimed at strengthening
the criminal investigative capabilities of Colombian law enforcement
authorities. Having succeeded, over the years, in greatly expanding
Colombia's forensic capabilities, aiding in the development of specialized
investigative units, and guiding the development and implementation
of a single investigative curriculum for all of Colombia's police
training academies, ICITAP continues its assistance efforts in 2004
with the initiation of an ambitious training plan, designed to raise
the professionalism of Colombian law enforcement and prepare the judicial
police for pending judicial code reform (including the introduction
of an accusatory trial system). Curriculum will include topics such
as: collection of crime scene evidence, search warrants, airport/border
checkpoints, taking witness statements, admissions made by defendants,
expert witness testimony, management of surveillance evidence, photographic
evidence, report writing, and methods for successfully presenting
evidence in court. ICITAP is also working with various Colombian
law enforcement agencies to develop a Deviant Criminal Behavioral
Analysis and Investigative Unit, a nationwide anti-corruption campaign,
and an emergency response capabilities within the Colombian National
Police. |
FY00-02: $23,361,661
|
| Costa
Rica |
ICITAP
plans to use FY03 funds to improve Costa Rican law enforcement's ability
to counter trafficking in persons. ICITAP's program in Costa Rica
specifically targets sex tourism and child prostitution. |
FY03: $400,013
|
| Dominican
Republic |
ICITAP
has conducted an airport security assessment in the Dominican Republic. |
FY00-03: $32,000
|
| Ecuador |
ICITAP's
program in Ecuador supports the Judicial Police and the Uniformed
Police in their efforts to address rising crime and a growing sentiment
of insecurity and is coordinated closely with NAS assistance. The
major focus of ICITAP's program in Ecuador is to create a permanent
and sustainable Judicial Police training academy. |
FY
04 est.: 450,000 dollars
|
| El Salvador |
ICITAP
has been working in El Salvador since 1992, when, together with the
United Nations, it helped El Salvador create and train a new, apolitical
National Civilian Police (PNC) and an autonomous training center,
the National Academy of Public Safety (ANSP). Once the PNC and ANSP
were up and running, ICITAP assisted in the installation of automated
information systems and a 9-1-1 system, leading to much improved crime
response. Now that the PNC and ANSP have established proficiency
and stability, ICITAP's efforts have shifted to focus on strengthening
four basic areas: police management, police accountability, criminal
investigations (including specialized crime units and procedures for
evidence handling), and ANSP policies, procedures, and techniques. |
FY00-03: $3,085,000
|
| Guatemala |
ICITAP
began providing criminal investigative training and assistance to
Guatemala in 1986. Early in the program, ICITAP helped the National
Civilian Police (PNC) establish a new PNC academy, strengthen PNC
personnel, automate PNC information management systems, and improve
transparency and accountability throughout the PNC. Currently, having
completed its basic training and assistance goals in Guatemala, ICITAP
has shifted the focus of its PNC project. In 2002, ICITAP established
a first-line supervisory school within the PNC Academy. ICITAP has
also begun to provide specialized training in auto theft investigation,
particularly in Guatemala City. ICITAP continues to make progress
with its Total Information Management System efforts and now emphasizes
coordination between police, prosecution, and other criminal justice
sector agencies. |
FY00-03: $4,173,000
|
| Honduras |
ICITAP's
assistance in Honduras focused on improving organizational, administrative,
and operational effectiveness within the Ministry of Public Security;
assisting in the implementation and enforcement of newly enacted laws;
developing the Ministry of Public Security's academy; and assisting
in the development of a Frontier Police and has now ended. |
FY00-03:
$1,935,000
|
| Nicaragua |
ICITAP's
goal in Nicaragua is to assist in the implementation of Nicaragua's
new Criminal Code (effective December 2002) by improving the investigative
capacity of the National Police (PN). Specific areas of focus include
the creation of specialized investigative units, automation of criminal
information, and enhancement of the police academy's training capabilities. |
FY00-03: $900,000
|
| Panama |
No current
program activity |
FY00-03:
$500,000
|
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* Funds represent total
amount available to us through interagency agreements.*
ICITAP
by country 20002
| Country |
Program
goals |
2000
estimate |
| Bolivia |
Assist
police in implementing new criminal procedure code |
$750,000 |
| Colombia |
Unify
training curricula and structures of three investigative police
organizations |
$750,000 |
| Dominican
Republic |
Modernize
criminal justice system |
$1,000,000 |
| Ecuador |
Assist
development of investigative / prosecutive task forces |
$500,000 |
| El
Salvador |
Refine
new police force's procedures for preventing and responding to
the most commonly committed crimes |
$1,500,000 |
| Guatemala |
Support
the new police force's development, emphasizing its Criminal Investigations
Service |
$2,000,000 |
| Honduras |
Support
implementation of the 1998 Police Law which separated the police
from military control |
$1,000,000 |
| Nicaragua |
Support
police in implementation of new criminal and criminal procedure
codes |
$1,000,000 |
| Panama |
Integrate
Technical Judicial Police into the criminal justice process |
$500,000 |
| Venezuela |
Support
implementation of new criminal procedure code |
$1,000,000 |
| Total |
|
$10,000,000 |
Sources:
1
United States, Department of State, Congressional Presentation
for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2000, (Washington: Department
of State: March 1999): 936.
2
Department of State, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations,
Fiscal Year 2000 936-7.
3
Department of Justice, ICITAP IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN,
Document obtained November 2003.
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