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With 15 investigation orders, new environmental crimes brigade begins operations

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The recently formed Environmental and Cultural Heritage Crimes Investigation Brigade (Bidema) Concepción has 10 members, eight of whom are detectives. In these first nearly two months, it has 15 cases directly assigned by the Public Prosecutor's Office and has also carried out various efforts to establish itself as a reference in the area. Nationally, there are 9 Investigation Police brigades belonging to the National Environmental and Cultural Heritage Crimes Directorate (Jenadema).

Sub-prefect Rodrigo Arévalo Romero, head of the Environmental and Cultural Heritage Crimes Investigation Brigade Concepción, provided Diario Concepción with an assessment of the unit's first weeks.

-When did the Environmental and Cultural Heritage Crimes Investigation Brigade Concepción begin its functions?

-The brigade in this Region began its investigative and operational functions on October 28 of this year. We are Bidema for short, we belong to Concepción, but our offices are located in the Barracks of the commune of Tomé. And we have jurisdiction for both the Biobío Region and the Ñuble Region.

-How many cases are you working on about two months after starting your work?

-We currently have about 15 investigation orders in progress. We have received various orders issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office, the ones we have received are mainly for animal abuse.

But the range is broader because we have also had to investigate crimes against public health, we are also investigating some environmental crimes, as well as the damage caused by fires. In this regard, it is important to note that the Concepción Provincial Prefecture also arranged for a team of investigative officers to have exclusive dedication to fire crimes that may be perpetrated or generated here in the Region.

-Who makes up BIDEMA?

-We are eight police officers, we have one police agent and one administrative assistant, 10 in total. Most of us, beyond being detectives, have other studies; in my case, I am an administrator, there is also a veterinarian, a colleague is a marine biologist, another is a forestry engineer, and other people are in higher-level academic processes, which have a bearing on this very technical area.

-How can you handle cases while optimizing your resources?

-Basically, we discussed that with the chief prosecutor of the Tomé Public Prosecutor's Office, Ana María Aldana, she has extensive experience in environmental crimes at the national level. The idea is also to start prioritizing some crimes that require more extensive treatment or larger-scale investigations. Because we would like to cover a lot, but our capacity, both logistical and human, does not allow us to go everywhere.

-Do all your officers have experience in the field prior to the formation of the brigade?

-The Investigation Police in '94 foresaw the phenomenon of environmental crimes and began to see this issue as an area of interest, and the Department for Investigation of Illicit Conduct Related to the Environment and Ecology was created there. That is why 73% of those who make up the environmental crimes brigades have a degree complementary to that of the police school.

-Can you tell us about what cases you have had to investigate so far?

-We had an incident at Enap, where about 150 workers were evacuated and relocated to an adjacent area due to a gas leak. According to their account, they adhered to the protocol and instructed an internal investigation. Nevertheless, the investigation remains open and we are awaiting the conclusions to reliably establish what happened there.

-Regarding animal abuse, what have you encountered?

-A few days ago on social media, an animal rights organization denounced that at the Vega Monumental, especially in the Truck Yard, guards had allegedly been poisoning or mistreating dogs wandering the area. Immediately a team went to the place and we were able to establish that this was not true.

At the Vega Monumental they have a veterinarian who goes twice a week, with whom we spoke; we were able to establish that they have an area to treat dogs wandering there with rabies vaccines, dewormers.

The veterinarian told us that indeed a female dog was sick and he administered an intravenous treatment, it did not improve and he had to make the decision to perform euthanasia.

-Will it be an objective of Bidema to educate the population to define what constitutes animal abuse?

-Since I assumed the leadership of this brigade, one of the activities I have had the most has been relating to mayors, I have already met with those of Talcahuano, Chiguayante, and also with personnel from SAG, Customs, both here and in Ñuble.

-How have you prepared thinking about the forestry season?

-We are constantly training. In the case of Conaf, precisely, we were preparing regarding forest fires. Just as we can provide them with some type of information, they from their experience and their area have also helped us a lot to clear up doubts. What is relevant is that this unit is new, but the officers who compose it still have experience in environmental crimes.

-Do you know if there will be an increase in the staffing of this brigade?

-From the central command, studies are being made, normally, regarding the staffing that makes up the different brigades nationwide. So far, I do not know if more detectives will arrive, because I am also aware that there are other brigades that also require new police officers.

Source:Diario Concepción