Corporal ‘Destroyer’ Deals Another Blow to Prestige of Chile’s Police

(Bloomberg) -- For years Chile’s police force was the most respected institution in the country. Not any longer. Alleged corruption, brutality and now “Destroyer” have all played their role in damaging its reputation.

The nickname featured on the uniform of an officer policing riots this month, in the place where his name should be, according to pictures taken by freelance photographer Diego Ibacache. The nicknames “Raptor” and “Super Dick” were also caught on camera. The photos led Chile’s comptroller to demand an explanation from the police.

The scandal is one of many to hit the police since the eruption of riots and protests across the country on Oct. 18, the biggest of which is the use of pellets that provoked more than 200 serious eye injuries. The image of demonstrators blinded in one eye has sparked outrage and become one of the symbols of the protests. There are also allegations of sexual assault by police.

The controversy comes on top of a corruption case that resulted in 35 officials, including high ranking officers, being charged in April with defrauding 28 billion pesos ($35 million) from the state between 2006 and 2018. That came as a blow to an institution that for years prided itself on being uncorruptable, avoiding allegations that have dogged security forces elsewhere in Latin America.

The scandals are taking their toll. Approval of the police force slumped to 38% in November, from 61% in October, weekly surveys by pollster Cadem show. Until 2015, the institution was regularly the most respected in Chile, according to separate polls by CERC-Mori.

All police uniforms follow institutional rules and any irregularities are investigated to determine responsibilities and sanctions when appropriate, a police official said in an email. A total of 1,139 policemen have been wounded since protests started, according to the latest police report.

On Tuesday, the police backtracked on the use of pellets in the demonstrations, announcing that they would only be used in future in cases of extreme danger.

Allegations against the police are now being investigated by groups including Chile’s National Human Rights Institute, the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Several lawmakers have called for a permanent human rights commission in congress to investigate violations.

As its reputation sinks, the police force is increasingly finding itself a target of protesters’ rage with hostile graffiti across Santiago and mob attacks against officers on the streets.

To contact the reporter on this story: Laura Millan Lombrana in Santiago at lmillan4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Luzi Ann Javier at ljavier@bloomberg.net, Philip Sanders, James Attwood

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.