Investigations Police of Chile


Investigations Police of Chile are the civilian police of Chile. Founded in 1933, it is one of two Chilean police bodies, along with the military police Carabineros de Chile. The PDI is the principle law enforcement arm of the Public Ministry of Chile in criminal investigation.

History

19th century

The first reference to police work in Chile is in the Police Regulation of 1803, where the terms "high police" and "public security" are used. Then, in 1830, the Vigilantes and Serenos Corps of Santiago were created, whose work was followed throughout the country. In 1852 the Brigada de Policía was created in Santiago, where the Vigilantes and Serenos Corps were merged.
In the 1870s, the mayor of the city of Santiago, Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna proposed modelling the Brigada de Policía on the Agent de la Sûrete in Paris, France, which was based on the administrative structure of the police force. Ranks of Inspector, Comisario, and Prefecto were implemented, and that are still used today.

20th century

The modern Investigations Police was established in 1933 as a separate organization of civil police, independent from the control of the militarized Carabineros de Chile.

Organisation

The Investigative Police divides its investigation areas according to the crime investigated, counting with it several specialized units of police investigation, which have Detectives specialists, experts and experts in the respective areas.

National Headquarters of Crimes Against Human Rights and People