Costa Rica prepares reform to tighten private security controls

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security is preparing a legislative reform to tighten controls over private security companies and firearm regulations. Minister Gerald Campos Valverde announced that the government has identified issues in the recruitment processes of private security firms, noting that several agents have criminal or police records.

The proposed changes aim to address irregularities in how agents are hired and how they operate, including concerns regarding the use of sirens by private vehicles during non-emergency activities. While current Law 8395 requires agents to prove they have no criminal record for the past 10 years, the government seeks to strengthen these oversight mechanisms.