Dolores Moreno is a forensic pathologist and has been a member of the National Corps of Forensic Pathologists for over 25 years. She has been director of the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences attached to the Ministry of Justice and has worked as a FIIAPP expert in Central America as a participant in the ICRIME project in its fight against organised crime. 

What has been the greatest achievement of your experience as an expatriate expert?  

ICRIME works with twelve forensic organisations in seven countries. After several visits and continuous contact with their workers, having the opportunity to get to know them, understand their needs and drafting the improvement proposals in keeping with project goals has, I think, been one of my greatest work-related achievements.  

What are you most proud of?   

Of having quickly adapted to the central American culture and of having developed a relationship of trust with the directors of forensic institutions in the region.   

I am also proud of having been able to rally high-level experts from our ministries and involve them in our project.   

How has your mission as an aid worker and at the same time a public official contributed to improving the lives of people and/or the planet?   

Cooperation with the public institutions of these countries allows us to share knowledge and the experience acquired in our civil service. We collaborate in making these public institutions more effective and efficient. To do so, we apply management and quality criteria, working on professional training and technological improvement, which results in better service to the public, greater legal security and better management of public resources.   

What is the main value of the public aspect for you?   

Public Administrations don’t try to obtain the maximum profit from the services they provide. Consequently, the parameters to be taken into account when selecting a service will only be those of suitability and the achievement of the expected results. I think this is very important when providing basic services such as those related to security and justice.    

This does not mean that a public service should not be efficient, on the contrary, public officials have become more committed to the administration of resources and are increasingly being trained in efficiency management, albeit never losing sight of social well-being and without putting citizens at risk.   

What have you learned?  

During this time I have had the opportunity to delve into how these organisations operate, which has allowed me to learn from their best practices in management, in the organisation of certain procedures and in the way to solve common problems.   

I have also witnessed the commitment of the staff in these institutions who, despite cultural differences, share a vocation of public service with us. 

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