A/HRC/45/CRP.11 Judicial Police (Cuerpo Técnico de Policia Judicial). The 1999 Constitution specifically calls for the creation of the CICPC. 516 In 2001, the CICPC was established by presidential decree and its organic law was adopted.517 It depends administratively on the Ministry of the Interior. 206. In 2012, a new regulatory law for the CICPC was adopted. 518 The law spells out procedures for carrying out inspections,519 searches,520 and detaining suspects521 (including in flagrancia522). It specifically permits use of force by the CICPC, 523 including use of lethal force if necessary to protect the lives of a police officer or third party. 524 The organizational structure525 and processes for training, promotion and demotion526 are also outlined in the 2012 framework law. The CICPC has both forensic and police functions.527 207. Under the Constitution, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is in charge of directing criminal investigations.528 However, under its 2012 regulatory law, as well as in practice, the CICPC maintains a high level of autonomy and discretion in carrying out actions related to criminal investigations.529 The 2012 reforms to the criminal code also eliminated the disciplinary oversight by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the CICPC, resulting in further autonomy in its actions.530 208. The CICPC Director is appointed and can be removed by the Minister of the Interior.531 Douglas Rico has been director of CICPC since February 2016, having acted as deputy director since 2013. The previous director was José Gregorio Sierralta. In March 2017, CICPC director, Douglas Rico issued a directive prohibiting CICPC officers from covering their faces during acts of service.532 C. State Intelligence Services The General Directorate of Military Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM) 209. The General Directorate of Military Counter-Intelligence (DGCIM) reports to the President as commander-in-chief of the FANB and administratively to the Ministry of and 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 56 1999 Constitution, art. 332.2. Decree No. 1511, de “Ley de los Órganos de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas (9 November 2001). Ley del Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas para regular la organización, funcionamiento y competencia del Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas (entered into force on 5 January 2007), available at: http://www.oas.org/juridico/spanish/mesicic2_ven_anexo_24_sp.pdf. Decree No. 9.045 con Rango, Valor y Fuerza de “Ley Orgánica del Servicio de la Policía de Investigación, el Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas y el Instituto Nacional de Medicina Forense”, 15 June 2012, available at: https://pandectasdigital.blogspot.com/2017/03/ley-organica-del-servicio-de-la-policia.html. Ibid., art. 41, Inspections are permitted in public places without a judicial order. Ibid., art. 42, Judicial order is required. Ibid., art. 42, Judicial order is required, unless the act is being committed in flagrancia. Ibid., art. 46. Ibid., arts. 84 and 85. Ibid., art. 84. Decree No. 9.045, Title III. Decree No. 9.045, Title IV. For a discussion of this see Keymer Ávila, ¿Policía? de investigación: Reflexiones sobre la naturaleza de su función y órgano de adscripción, available at: https://biblioteca.cejamericas.org/bitstream/handle/2015/1281/Policiadeinvestigaciones_Kavila.pdf?s equence=1&isAllowed=y. 1999 Constitution, art. 285. Decree No. 9.045, arts. 35-38. For a discussion, see Acceso a la Justicia, Visión panorámica del sistema policial en Venezuela 20002018, p. 28, available at: https://www.accesoalajusticia.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/05/Visio%CC%81n-panora%CC%81mica-del-sistema-policial-en-Venezuela2000-2018-1.pdf. Decree No. 9.045, art. 32. See https://htr.noticierodigital.com/2017/03/prohiben-uso-de-mascaras-en-servicio-a-funcionariosdel-cicpc/.