Costa Rica News – With on average 7800 accidents that traffic police have to attend to each and every month, they are way understaffed.
There is a shortfall of 1,100 traffic police in the country, 20 municipal police in the capital are being trained to assume functions of traffic police to aid in sorting the chaos on the roads.
By the end of the year the number of municipal police trained will be 30 and by the end of next year, 70. They are going to greatly help the 763 official traffic police circulating Costa Rica’s roads.
The announcement came from Mayor Johnny Araya, who explained in more detail that what they are doing is creating a Road Control Unit of the Municipal Police task force.
They will have the authority to direct traffic and conduct inspections, such as checking blood alcohol levels.
Previously, officers in Heredia, Alajuela and Cartago had been given similar duties. In addition to keeping the streets safer, the extra fines from tickets will help the municipalities.
