Mérida, Yucatan – The state attorney general today formally recognized a group of 60 forensic scientists and police officers who completed a training course in Crime Scene Investigation, a U.S.-Mexico collaboration under the Mérida Initiative.
Yucatán is the first state in Mexico to offer this training simultaneously to a combined force of police investigators and forensics experts.
This is meant to result in greater coordination of efforts between the state public safety secretariat and the state attorney general’s office when processing crime scenes and investigating cases.
Government Secretary Roberto Antonio Rodríguez Asaf presided over the ceremony, which was held at the Yucatan Attorney General’s offices.
The two-week CSI course prepares officers to meet their responsibilities as first responders. This includes isolating the crime scene to maintain its integrity, identifying potential witnesses and collecting or securing evidence that may be critical in preparing a criminal case.
Officers also received instruction on the Mexican legal and human rights framework as it relates to CSI.
About the Mérida Initiative
The training is part of a larger collaborative effort under the Mérida Initiative to strengthen law enforcement and the justice system in Mexico.
In Yucatán, equipment donations, technical assistance and equipment donations and support for the state penitentiary system come from the U.S. under the agreement, established in 2007.
Ever since, the Mérida Initiative has provided tangible support to Mexico’s law enforcement and judicial institutions, helped to counteract the illegal trade in narcotics and strengthened border security.
The accord is named for the city where a series of meetings hammered out the long-term plan.
The U.S. Congress has appropriated $2.5 billion for the Mérida Initiative since 2008.
Source: U.S. Consulate press release
