Jorge Rojas, head of Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ), who in December announced he would step down because the government refused to meet his demands for a “degenerating” force, has suddenly changed his tune.

Rojas, 52, withdrew his resignation planned for early this year after the government said it would funnel an additional ¢7 billion (more than $14 million) into the OIJ, giving the force enough cash to hire 500 new officers and purchase 250 vehicles, the daily La Nación reported.

The investigative squad's annual budget will now be $68 million.

After three decades with the OIJ, Rojas threatened to quit repeatedly if the government did not send the force a lifeline soon.

He said he is now “very content” with the increased spending, and plans to stay on as director “for as long as God likes.”

Asked if he thought 500 able investigators were available to join the ranks of Costa Rica's version of the U.S. FBI, Rojas said, “it remains to be seen,” but he added that he hoped “to start recruiting as soon as possible.”

Following the news, the National Police announced they had made 20 separate arrests around the country over the weekend for crimes ranging from robbery to drug trafficking.

However, this could not calm the nerve-rattling caused by an alarming Public Security Ministry study released Saturday that said 600 crime suspects are believed to be at large in and around San José, half of whom have anywhere from 10 to 100 arrests on their record.

-Tico Times