Carlos Humberto Vargas García

Chief of Studies
National Academy of Public Security, El Salvador
Focus Area(s)
Accountable Policing
Critical Tasks
Integration and amalgamation
Recruitment
Training
Interviewers
Flor Hunt
Country of Reform
El Salvador
Place (Building/Street)
National Academy of Public Security
Country
El Salvador
Date of Interview
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Abstract
Carlos Humberto Vargas García describes the challenges of establishing a police academy in El Salvador after the Peace Accords of 1992.  He begins by explaining the recruitment and training process, the academic-degree requirements for candidates, and the quota system.  Challenges that he faced in training the police force include lack of resources, internal administrative issues and lingering resentment between the former warring factions.  He describes the usefulness of his training with ICITAP (the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program), the role of donor countries, the training curriculum, community policing and the importance of having an integrated police. He contends that while it is important to receive aid and training from multiple countries,  international donors should not impose preconditions, as they are not familiar with the local reality. 

Full Interview

84.5MB
Vargas Garcia Interview
Profile

At the time of this interview, Carlos Humberto Vargas García was the chief of studies at the National Academy of Public Security in El Salvador, an institution separate from the national police. From 1992 to 1995, he was the first sub-director of the academy, and he trained in the U.S. and Central America with ICITAP, the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program. He also worked in the private sector, in other universities in El Salvador as a professor of engineering, and for the Instituto Salvadoreño de Formación Profesional, which is in charge of non-formal education.

Keywords
community policing
demilitarization
depoliticization
Donor Relations
information sources
integration and amalgamation
language
recruitment
Reform sequencing
training curriculum
UN Policies
vetting
Not specified