2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY-FIVE - Internal Security (§§ 1 — 3356) › Subtitle 3 - Security Generally (§§ 3101 — 3356) › PART I - Protection and Surveillance (§§ 3101 — 3356) › Chapter 331 - Puerto Rico Police of 1996 (§§ 3101 — 3142) › § 3101 - Definitions

For the purposes of interpreting this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning expressed below, unless otherwise clearly construed from the context:
(a) Police officer.— Shall mean any member of the police force appointed as such after having completed the basic training course provided by the Superintendent.
(b) School protection officer.— Means the member of the Puerto Rico Police appointed as such, who is responsible for surveillance directed to maintain order and protect the life and property of the school community.
(c) Cadet.— Shall mean any member of the police force who has not completed the basic training requirements. The Superintendent shall guarantee, through regulations, the right of the members of the Force to receive the benefits of the classification which their training entails, when because of their service said members have been unable to attend the Academy on the date closest to their recruitment.
(d) Neighborhood Security Council.— Shall mean the body constituted by volunteer citizens who join efforts with the police in a crusade against crime in order to promote, through their services, a better quality of life and the greater welfare of the community where they live.
(e) Governor.— Shall mean the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(f) Board or Evaluation Board.— Shall mean the Medical Evaluation Board of the Puerto Rico Police, created by § 3118 of this title.
(g) Police force member.— Includes only the personnel directly performing tasks involving criminal investigations, the maintenance of public order, the protection of the life and properties of citizens and other similar duties imposed on the Puerto Rico Police now or in the future.
(h) Municipalities.— Includes the municipalities of Puerto Rico and its capital city, San Juan.
(i) Officers.— Shall mean Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, Majors, Inspectors, Captains and Lieutenants.
(j) Civilian personnel.— Shall mean any employee recruited by the Superintendent to perform tasks in support of the members of the Police Force. Civilian employees who, due to the nature of their duties, are exposed to the same risks as a law enforcement officer and die in the line of duty shall be entitled to the same rights and benefits as any member of the force who dies in the line of duty. These benefits include all compensation for widows and widowers, as well as to their children, to which the members of the force are entitled and that exist in our legal system for them, and those to be established in the future. The Superintendent shall establish by regulations the personnel that, due to the nature of their duties, shall be entitled to these benefits.
(k) Pilot.— Shall mean any employee recruited by the Superintendent to function as a pilot or copilot, who is especially trained and qualified to handle aircraft, pursuant to the requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration of the Federal Administration Department of the United States of America and by the Superintendent. They must be currently licensed to operate the type of aircraft they are assigned to pilot, and must comply with the flying time required and maintain the optimum physical and mental condition needed to perform these functions.
(l) Police, Corps, Organization, Force.— Shall mean the Puerto Rico Police.
(m) Auxiliary Police.— Shall mean a volunteer citizen accredited by the police as such, subject to the norms established by the Superintendent. Through their services, they shall assist in the fight against crime and towards the welfare of the citizens. They shall receive no financial compensation whatsoever for their services.
(n) Reservist.— Shall mean any special employee contracted according to the provisions of § 3130 of this title.
(o) Superintendent.— Shall mean the Superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police.
(p) Assistant Superintendent.— Shall mean the employee designated by the Superintendent to direct one of the Offices of the Assistant Superintendents, and holds said office pursuant to § 3107 of this title.
(q) Associate Superintendent.— Shall mean the Associate Superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police.
(r) Child.— Means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age.
(s) AMBER Plan.— Means a national alert to manage emergency child abduction cases.
(t) SILVER Plan.— Means a national alert to manage cases of missing persons with cognitive impairments.
(u) General Director of the Auxiliary Police.— Means the citizen appointed by the Police Superintendent as the administrator and supervisor of the Auxiliary Police operations, who shall be subject to the authority of the Superintendent, as provided in this chapter.
(v) Auxiliary Officers.— Means the set of ranks held by the Auxiliary Police, as established by this chapter.
(w) Auxiliary Sergeant.— Means an Auxiliary Police officer who has been promoted to Auxiliary Sergeant after having complied with the requirements established by the Executive Board.
(x) Auxiliary Second Lieutenant.— Means an Auxiliary Sergeant promoted to Auxiliary Second Lieutenant after having complied with the requirements established for this rank, pursuant to the criteria established by the Executive Board.
(y) Auxiliary First Lieutenant.— Means an Auxiliary Second Lieutenant promoted to Auxiliary First Lieutenant after having complied with the requirements established for this rank, pursuant to the criteria established by the Executive Board.
(z) Auxiliary Captain.— Means an Auxiliary First Lieutenant promoted to Auxiliary Captain.
(aa) Auxiliary Inspector.— Means an Auxiliary Captain who has been promoted to Auxiliary Inspector through designation by the Puerto Rico Police Superintendent and who complies with the requirements for the rank established by the Executive Board.
(bb) Auxiliary Commander.— Means an Auxiliary Inspector who has been promoted to Auxiliary Commander, through designation by the Puerto Rico Police Superintendent and who complies with the requirements for the rank established by the Executive Board.
(cc) Auxiliary Lieutenant Colonel.— Means an Auxiliary Commander promoted to Auxiliary Lieutenant Colonel through designation by the Puerto Rico Police Superintendent.
(dd) Auxiliary Colonel.— Means an officer whose rank is designated as permanent by the Puerto Rico Police Superintendent.
History —June 10, 1996, No. 53, § 2; Sept. 6, 1996, No. 203, § 1; Dec. 24, 2002, No. 290, § 1; May 4, 2004, No. 106, §§ 1, 2; Aug. 4, 2004, No. 189, § 1; Sept. 23, 2004, No. 468, § 1; Oct. 26, 2009, No. 132, § 8.