The Oversight Board (JSF) has released $2.6 million to pay professional services at the Puerto Rico Police’s Center for Operations and Processing of Protection Orders (Copop), allowing it to keep assisting victims of gender violence through the current fiscal year. The budget approval was notified Thursday to Orlando Rivera Berríos, executive director of the Office of Management and Budget (OGP), with a copy to Police Superintendent Joseph González.
In September, El Nuevo Día reported that dozens of contract workers serving victims of domestic violence and sex crimes had gone nearly three months unpaid because funds were held at the OGP. Police later used money from another budget line to pay 42 Copop employees $336,300 for July and August invoices. Police spokesperson Jessica Pérez Cámara said Saturday the Copop situation was resolved long ago through that transfer and that the Board’s approval has no impact on the employees.
With funds now released in the Police budget, no further payment problems are expected this fiscal year. Since its 2021 creation, Copop had been funded by the gender-violence emergency declared that year and extended to December 2024. The 24-hour center helps agents process protection orders faster, supports femicide investigations, coordinates preventive patrols and psychosocial assistance, and identifies suspects.