COSTA RICA: MERIDA SPOT REPORT #1: POLICE

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000772 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC AND INL/LP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINR SNAR CS SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: MERIDA SPOT REPORT #1: POLICE EQUIPMENT VALIDATION AND MERIDA IT VISIT REF: ANDREW/AHERN EMAIL 9 SEPTEMBER ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: From August 26-28, Merida Information Technology (IT) Representative Frank Swain visited Post and host nation law enforcement authorities to validate Costa Rica's Merida Initiative-related communications/police equipment requests. We also validated the police equipment list that various Ministry of Public Security departments had provided us for purchase under the Merida Initiative. A list of meeting participants is at end of the cable. This message also includes a summary of Merida Initiative-related events that have taken or will take place this quarter. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) The following Merida Initiative-related events have taken place/will take place between July and September: -- June 19, signing of FY08 Merida Letter of Agreement with Costa Rica; -- August 26-28, visit of Merida IT Representative Frank Swain and validation of GOCR police equipment list; -- August 31-September 4, visit of FBI Central American Fingerprint Exchange (CAFE) team (septel); and -- September 28-October 2, visit of Prison Management expert Don Stolworthy. -------------- MERIDA IT EVALUATED -------------- ¶3. (SBU) From August 26-28, Frank Swain visited Post to assess Merida Initiative information technology requirements of Costa Rica. We discussed the communications requirements of the Ministry of Public Security's (MPS) uniformed police (FP) with Vice Minister Chacon, MPS Communication Director Tobias Gutierrez, and FP Deputy Director Kattia Chavarria. The majority of MPS's communications requirements are handheld radios, such as Motorola type XTS-5000. Gutierrez and Chavarria underlined the need to have effective and continuous communications along their borders with Nicaragua and Panama. They acknowledged that their current radio communications between the border posts and San Jose were poor, and often relied on landline or wireless phone. Gutierrez hoped that by the end of this calendar year their radio system would be fully digitized (upgraded from analog). With this meeting, we validated their radio equipment needs. However, VM Chacon requested that her staff review and provide specific communications requirements (or specifications) for their handheld radio requests. ¶4. (SBU) We also visited MPS's local communications maintenance facility where they repair their radio communication equipment, including what the USG has provided in the past. Communications chief Gutierrez relayed to us that of the dozens of radios that they have received from the USG in the past 20 years, only five are completely unusable. He also indicated that they needed updated testing equipment (spectrum analyzers) and laptops (for radio programming) for each of their technicians. This was especially true if the USG was going to provide a significant increase in the number of radios it would be supporting. -------------- POLICE EQUIPMENT LIST VALIDATED -------------- ¶5. (SBU) We also met with a broader group of MPS law enforcement entities to validate their thorough and comprehensive police equipment list. With some minor exceptions, we validated all of the equipment requests from the Costa Rican Air Wing, the Drug Control Police (PCD),the Coast Guard, and the FP. We emailed a Post-consolidated police equipment list to INL Ahern and Swain (ref email). However, we expect to receive soon an updated list from the FP as we asked that they concentrate their requests on "big ticket" items rather than more expendable requests such as uniforms. Examples of some of the big ticket items include: -- Handheld radios; -- armored helmets (kevlar-type); -- laptop computers; -- command post vehicles; -- night vision goggles; -- bulletproof vests; and -- fiber-optic drug detection kits. -------------- -------------- POLICE EQUIPMENT ALREADY ORDERED; MORE ORDERS COMING -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Post has already begun its police equipment ordering process. To date, we have ordered three "Contraband Team Inspection Kits" (better known as fiber-optic and "buster" kits) and one specialized GPS for the PCD. With the police equipment list validation by Post, along with Mr. Swain's IT visit, we will continue our ordering process. We expect to spend the FY08 Merida funds within the next three to six months on these big ticket items as listed. Upon receipt of the FY09 Merida funds, we will continue to fund the purchase of this validated police equipment list. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Post views the Merida IT visit and the validation of Costa Rica's police equipment list as a great success. VM Chacon agreed with us and appreciated the opportunity to meet with some of the newly arrived members of our law enforcement team. We clearly communicated to the Costa Ricans that the Merida Initiative and its subprograms such as police equipment modernization/improvement were being carefully scrutinized by the USG and Congress. We underscored that maintenance of donated items was vitally important. Having viewed their radio workshop, we have confidence that they take communications maintenance seriously and believe that they will be good end-users of these items. ¶8. (U) Merida IT Representative Frank Swain cleared this cable. List of Costa Rican participants: Vice Minister Marcela Chacon Vice Minister Oldemar Madrigal Martin Arias, Coast Guard Director Kattia Chavarria, Deputy Director, FP Captain Alex Romero, Air Wing Juan Jose Arevalo, Deputy Director, PCD Tobias Gutierrez, MPS Communications Chief Warner Villalta, Communications technician Gerardo Martinez, Communications technician List of USG participants: Frank Swain, INL Brian Wilson, CDA Robert Andrew, POL/NAO Julie Schechter Torres, POL/ECON Counselor Phil Springer, DEA Attache Federico Silva, Milgrp Commander Wade DeWitt, RSO BRENNAN