P.R. Laws tit. 25, § 972e
When the circumstances so warrant, the Secretary may take other emergency measures in order to protect the persons who qualify under the provisions of §§ 972—972j of this title:
(a) He may acquire real estate or personal property by purchase, lease or in any other fashion and establish a shelter which shall provide safety and protection to lodge the victims, witnesses, potential witnesses and their family or relatives for the time he deems necessary.
(b) He may relocate the residence of the person or persons being protected outside the geographical area where they have resided and, in meritorious cases, outside Puerto Rico.
(c) He may order direct surveillance and other security measures at the residence of the affected person, provide protection and transportation at his place of employment and for his family and relatives; and, with the consent of the threatened person, he may use legally and constitutionally permissible electronic methods to investigate threats made against witnesses, victims, their family and relatives, including tracing telephone calls.
(d) In those cases in which the appearance of the witness, victim, their family or relatives in court prevents them from seeking employment, or that for their personal safety it would not be convenient for the witnesses, victims, family or relatives to be employed, he may order the necessary financial assistance as well as the payment of necessary essential services.
(e) He may (subject to prior consent by the affected person) order the necessary measures so that the Registry of Vital Statistics and the other public registries of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may change the identity or identification of the witness, victim, their family or relatives in those cases that it is necessary for the person’s safety.
(f) He may direct the necessary measures for the Department of Transportation and Public Works to change the license plate of the vehicle of a witness, victim, relative or acquaintance in the event that it is deemed necessary for the safety of the person.
History —July 9, 1986, No. 77, p. 249, § 5; June 19, 1987, No. 28, p. 88, § 1; Aug. 21, 2009, No. 87, § 2, eff. 90 days after Aug. 21, 2009.