CSIF demands that the powers of forestry and environmental agents be recognized as ‘Judicial Police’

The CSIF union demands through a statement that the draft Organic Law of Criminal Procedure, which is being processed in Congress, recognizes the powers of forestry and environmental agents as ‘Judicial Police’. Some competencies that he points out include collaboration in investigations of crimes related to the environment.

“We request that the officials of the Asset Recovery and Management Office and the Customs Surveillance Service and also the Corps, scales and specialties of Forestry and Environmental Agents take this consideration in the scope of their respective competence.”

From the union, they point out that there are currently some 6,000 forestry and environmental agents in Spain, who perform police functions, monitoring and guarding the environment: “We defend that they are practically a special administrative and judicial police, specialized in environmental matters.” They also state that “forestry and environmental agents have been receiving specialized training for years in the fight against environmental crime (investigation of forest fires, fight against poaching, taking samples, use of illegal means and arts, etc.); and that they also collaborate with the State Security Forces and Corps, as well as with any other Corps whose officials are Agents of the Authority, a condition that they also have.”

If what they ask for is not made effective, CSIF indicates that “the 6,000 forestry agents would be left in a ‘legal limbo’ because their functions would not have the category of Judicial Police.”