Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said on Thursday that police may have broken protocols in responding to a month of protests, and prosecutors will investigate whether they violated human rights.
His comments came after Amnesty International released a report denouncing a "deliberate policy" of wounding protesters during the unrest that broke out last month and has so far resulted in 22 deaths.
"If those protocols were not met, and I think it is possible that in some cases they were not met, that will be investigated by the prosecutor's office and will be sanctioned by the courts of justice," Pinera said in a meeting with foreign media.
Furious Chileans have been protesting against social and economic inequality, and an entrenched political elite, among other issues.
The National Institute of Human Rights has reported about 2,000 injuries, while health organizations claim that more than 280 people have suffered eye damage from shotgun pellets.
No police officers have been killed in the demonstrations but the human rights institute said some 1,600 officers have been wounded.