2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE THIRTY-FOUR - Code of Criminal Procedure (§§ 1 — 4012) › PART XIV - Forensic Sciences (§§ 3001 — 4012) › Chapter 201 - Institute of Forensic Sciences (§§ 3001 — 3036) › § 3007 - Personnel and organization

The Institute’s personnel shall consist of one Director, who shall be a qualified Forensic Scientist, Forensic Pathologists, Assistant Forensic Pathologists, Forensic Physicians, Clinical Forensic Physicians, Forensic Radiology Technicians, Forensic Nurses, Forensic Researchers, Forensic Chemists, Forensic Serologists, Forensic Document Analysts, Firearms and Toolmark Examiners, Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examiners, Photography Technicians, Forensic Pathologist Assistants, Laboratory Technicians, Questioned Document Examiners and such scientific, technical, and administrative personnel as may be needed to carry out the functions stated in this chapter. Whenever possible, the Institute shall carry out its functions by organizing its operations into technical sections which may be, without said listing being exhaustive, the following: Forensic Pathology Section, Toxicology Section, DNA and Serology Section, Forensic Chemistry Section, Digital and Multimedia Evidence Section, Forensic Document Analysis Section, Firearms and Toolmark Identification Section, Controlled Substances Section, Evidence Control and Custody Section.
All the personnel of the Institute shall meet the continuing education requirements prescribed through regulations by the Board of Directors in coordination with the Institute of Forensic Sciences, based on the requirements established by forensic accreditation agencies. Furthermore, such personnel shall carry out its functions in the physical facilities of the Institute or in on-site investigations. In the case of the Forensic Pathologists, Firearms and Toolmark Examiners, Forensic Researchers, Forensic Chemists, Forensic Serologists, Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examiners, and Questioned Document Examiners whose training and certification were financed with funds administered by the Institute, they must render services in the Institute for a period of not less than twenty-four (24) months as of the date on which said training and certification period ended. If the training and certification period is longer than twenty-four (24) months, services shall be rendered for a term equal to the training and certification period.
Any person who has not received a job offer from the Institute for a position in the sub-specialty for which he/she were trained within thirty (30) days after the training period ended shall be exempt from the service requirement established in the above paragraph.
Except for the Director, if any Forensic Pathologist, Firearms and Toolmark Examiner, Forensic Researcher, Forensic Chemist, Forensic Serologist, Digital and Multimedia Evidence Examiner, and Questioned Document Examiners whose training and certification were financed by the Institute, resigns to or voluntarily abandons his/her job before the service rendering period concludes, he/she shall pay an amount equal to the expenses incurred by the Institute of Forensic Sciences in said training and/or skill building program. The payment must be issued to the Institute of Forensic Sciences.
The Institute shall promulgate regulations for such purposes and include information on the regulations adopted to achieve the purposes of this Act in the process of hiring and appointing said personnel.
The Director of the Institute shall be Puerto Rico’s Forensic Scientist.
History —July 24, 1985, No. 13, p. 689, § 7; Sept. 10, 2009, No. 94, § 1; Aug. 26, 2014, No. 142, § 1.