Police Reform

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So we presume you don't support Police Reform and wish for the statis quo?

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deleted.

He found the correct thread.

I'm wondering how many times "police Reform" has taken place in the RD? I have heard about the multiple times the Tourist Police has been modified to include name changes. I personally don't have an opinion on the police other than the articles I've read. That's not to say police reform shouldn't take place as a way to improve services to the citizens and expats alike. All you have to do is look at this issue around the world, it's not isolated to this country alone.

Reform of this degree - I have not seen in 18 years.  This appears to be wide and deep! 

Again we won't know for sure for some time!  We can hope it's real.

The title really should have said National Police Reform. Discussions on such reform have been going on for a decade without action but since this government came in, they have been planning and consulting on this reform which will start happening very soon.

This article gives one the panorma following the closure of the reform review seminar last weekend:

Ask the population to join the police reform

https://www.elcaribe.com.do/panorama/pa … -policial/

After three days of work, discussing experiences of model countries in police transformation, the international seminar for the exchange of experiences in the field of police reform was closed.

During the closing ceremony, the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús Vásquez Martínez, summoned the whole of society to assume the police reform as a national issue, for which he invited the political class, regardless of party colors, the business community, to the civil society, religious groups and organized sectors to make their contributions because it is not a matter of a government or a party.

The official proclaimed that there is no going back in the transformation of the National Police, despite the resistance of some sectors and the fear of others, and announced that from today an office will be opened in that body to receive proposals that contribute to improvement.

"Now it is time to conclude the roadmap to move from theory, diagnoses, consultations, workshops, seminars, extensive planning meetings with national and international experts, to the adoption of concrete measures that allow our transformation of the Police in the medium and long term. National, ”he stated in the activity he headed together with Vice President Raquel Peña.

For her part, the vice president reiterated that from the government there is no fear to carry out the transformations that are required in the National Police.

"Do not be afraid, it is the will of President Abinader to do everything that has been done and we are not afraid to achieve the transformation of the National Police," said the Vice President of the Republic.

Workgroup

The coordinator of the Working Group for the Transformation and Professionalization of the National Police, considered as enriching, the exhausted day during the seminar that took place over three days in the halls of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“In the first place, we emphasize that the reform process necessarily requires a change in institutional culture. This change in institutional culture must be done on the basis of strategic planning ”, indicated Servio Tulio Castaños Guzmán.

He considered that the public powers should place the needs of the Police and citizen security in a broad sense on the same priority scale as perceived by citizens and reflected in surveys.

“But it is increasingly urgent to separate budgets for personnel management from those that refer to operational aspects. They even mentioned the possibility that all social sectors contribute to defraying the cost of maintaining the police service ”, he added.

Castaños Guzmán expressed that another important aspect that was transversal to the entire event was the use of force. He also considered that the Police should get closer to citizens.

Representatives from the United States, Canada, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Panama, Kenya and Chile participated in the seminar, highlighting the support of entities such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime, (UNODC), Organization of American States (OAS), United Nations Organization (UN) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

They consider the reform process will be successful

The representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), expressed the full support of the organization he represents for the Dominican Republic to successfully develop its police reform process. He considered that the reform process will be successful, because civil society is involved.

Police reform has been demanded by Dominican society after a series of bloody events involving active police officers.

During the closing, several speakers participated, among them the political scientist and citizen security expert, Daniel Pou, who considered that for the reform to be successful, a thorough evaluation must be made. On his side, journalist Osvaldo Santana, who is part of the Working Group, warned the organizers that one thing is theory and another is reality. He said that issues around the National Police should be discussed in depth.

The workshop highlighted the progress of the law enforcement body, its handling of protests, such as the one in the Plaza de la Bandera in 2019, respect for human rights, rapprochement with the population and the use of technology in police actions .

and the President was clear:

Police reform will begin soon

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … ara-pronto

The first changes to the National Police will begin to take place next week, as reported yesterday by the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader.

As part of the recommendations given by the commission appointed by the president to reform the National Police and advisers from different countries, Abinader will initiate the changes within the institution.

"I can announce that as of next week we will be making decisions about the different recommendations that are not being made today and beginning to make the change that we gradually need in the National Police," he said.

Knowing that we have some retired police officers participating in this forum, further news of interest will be added.

Actions:

Abinader: "Today the transformation of the Police begins, because we go from planning to concrete actions"

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … -concretas

Abinader: "Here the police are going to be promoted by their performance, not by recommendations"

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … endaciones

President Luis Abinader announces that for the first time they will evaluate the performance of each of the members of the institution, and that they will carry out a financial restructuring in the institution.

The president announced that they will install technological equipment in the patrol vehicles where they will monitor audio, speed and route. "The real transformation of the national police begins now," said the president.

"Here the police are going to be promoted because of their performance, not because a guy sends them, because a friend sends them," he stressed, noting that there has been political influence and others in the promotion of members of the law enforcement body.

The first measure  that the president announced was that the performance of all members of the National Police will be evaluated, through an international firm with recognized experience.

He stressed that it is the first time in the history of the country, to find out which police serve to protect the property and life of each citizen.

The second measure is that the rigorous recommendations for the administrative financial restructuring of the budget allocated to the National Police for the year 2022 will be requested from a specialized commission. 

Third : The General Regulations for the Application of Law No. 590-16, Organic of the Police, will be promulgated by decree, with which we will correct the irresponsibility that delayed the application of the Law and the Reform for five years. 

We will proceed with the installation of three extensions of the Police Institute of Education, in the East, South and North regions. In this way we will guarantee a high level of professionalization for all police officers. Before they trained in six months and now it will be in a year.

For the restructuring, Mr. Roberto Santana is appointed as coordinator of this restructuring, with the advice of the Colombian and Spanish police.

Until these police education centers are built, a special agreement will be signed with the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, so that in its regional centers, retraining and updating programs for police officers will be taught.

He also replaced the Head of Police this morning.

Abinader dismisses Edward Sánchez González and designates Eduardo Alberto Then as director of the National Police

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … a-nacional

And he is a hard ass it seems!    Let's see what he does.

More education combined with better salaries will hopefully attract better quality candidates!

PN structure posted in this El Dia article looks top heavy to me:



https://eldia.com.do/luis-abinader-hoy- … -nacional/

I agree  based on  % of population I will  say this is  very top heavy!  Someone can google  and compare.

We have more generals than USA in the Army, same happends with our Police, looks like this time the President knows that this situation can not has more delays to start a real plan to solve this problem that we have from very long ago.   The rules that was suppose to be done together with the new law that will transform the police was sleeping for 5 years and PLD didnt care,  now  Abinader really want to make the diference, I would like to replace the words didnt  care for another one but you can imagine wich one,   

I know wont be soon that we will see a total transformation but this is a very good start to do the correct things to get us there.

The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 231 for the Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, 198 for the Air Force, and 162 for the Navy.

The quadrant police surveillance system is to be used in DR as part of the police reforms, but DR lacks sufficient police and resources:

What is the quadrant patrol technique and what does RD need to apply it?

Technique will be implemented after the promulgation of the regulations for the application of the Organic Law of the National Police

Pou Suazo: "What happens per quadrant is the responsibility of the patrol and for each shift it has to render a report"

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … AO29419876

The quadrant police surveillance system is a patrolling technique that consists of dividing a geographic space into minimal units to assign it to a certain number of agents who will be responsible for security and prosecuting crime in those areas.

This is the model that the Dominican Government will implement as part of the National Plan for Citizen Security , and it is the main task entrusted to the new director of the law enforcement body, Eduardo Alberto Then , announced this Monday the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús-Chú- Vasquez.

This technique is used by most police officers in the world. It has been effective in countries such as Germany, the United States, Colombia and Chile, affirmed political scientist and security expert Daniel Pou Suazo.

Attempts to apply it have also been made here. In 2014, when the management of General Manuel Castro Castillo, the modality as a pilot began to be implemented in some areas of Santo Domingo. Statistics from the Police itself revealed improvements in the reduction of crime by then.

“Six blocks are divided, each patrol is assigned a piece of land, is given a map, the streets are indicated. The movement of the patrol, the rhythm that it takes, the frequency by which it passes through each street is controlled by means of GPS. What happens per quadrant is the responsibility of the patrol and for each shift it has to render a police report on the news ”.
Daniel Pou Suazo Expert in citizen security

More integration with the community

The also security expert Oda García highlighted as the main benefit of the division of the country by quadrants the integration of the police force with the community.

“It is like a micro way of managing the needs of citizens from the police and security point of view, it allows establishing a relationship with the citizens that gives greater confidence, this type of action seeks to improve the relationship of citizens with the police. ", said.

In addition to this, the method “bases its action on the principles of prevention, proximity, continuity and inter-institutional coordination ; comprehensive treatment of crime and offenses, which implies having police officers trained in leadership skills, a broad work culture (orientation to problem solving, planning, accountability) and in-depth knowledge of the environment involved ”. (Quote from the strategy of the National Plan for Community Surveillance by Quadrants of Colombia).

Insufficient human resources and material

However, both García and Pou Suazo warn that the Government does not have enough human and material capital to implement patrolling the quadrants throughout the national geography.

"In the country there are not enough policemen to implement it," said Pou Suazo. "This plan means investing in additional resources for patrolling, recruiting and preparation," Garcia emphasized.

The political scientist recommended that the technique be implemented through a pilot plan in hot spots, starting with sectors of Greater Santo Domingo, where greater criminal cases are registered such as Capotillo, Villa Juana, Los Tres Brazos, April 24, Espaillat expansion, Las Palmas de Herrera, etc.

Supervision

Supervising the actions of the patrol is essential in the implementation of this technique, since the proximity of the police forces with the citizenry has its pros and cons, the experts highlighted.

One of its cons is the danger that the agents, when they become familiar with a certain group of the community, will not act in accordance with the principles of the institution when the circumstances warrant it or that due to lack of preparation, more cases of police abuse may occur.

President Luis Abinader announced last Sunday the first eight measures to transform the body, and upon promulgation of the regulations for the application of the Organic Law of the Police 590-16, he would correct the fears of the security experts. Among some of its decisions, two stand out that promise to monitor the actions of the agents: the purchase by immediate tender of the combination of bulletproof vests and body cameras (bodycam) and the allocation of 400 car kits from the Emergency Attention Center and 9-1-1 security to monitor uniformed performance in real time.

How does Colombia implement it?

The Colombian Police began to implement the quadrant patrol technique in 2011 and has made it its main operational strategy for citizen security.

The objective of Colombia, after implementing various Citizen Security plans, was to optimize the police service through the strengthening of human talent, territorial delimitation, the assignment of responsibilities and the efficient distribution of resources.

For that, he designed a pyramid of responsibilities described in the following box.

The plan was implemented in its first phase in eight metropolitan areas: Bogotá, Cali, Barranquilla, Medellín, Cúcuta, Cartagena, Bucaramanga and Pereira between January 2010 and July 2012.

An evaluation of the impact of the technique carried out by the Ideas for Peace Foundation revealed significant progress in reducing criminal acts because the Police changed their way of working.

Interesting!

They will punish police officers who violate traffic laws

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … e-transito

The director general of the National Police (PN), Major General Eduardo Alberto Then, instructed all central, regional and area directors to demand that the personnel under his command respect traffic laws.

“It is not possible that members of the institution are violating the laws,” Then said of recent complaints regarding members of the institution caught violating the traffic law in different ways.

The major general warned that the internal control bodies of the law enforcement body will be vigilant against any violation of the provisions of the traffic law by any agent of the institution.

The agents will be sanctioned according to what is established in the institutional regulations and the traffic law in the country.

This order was issued by memorandum No. 34615 dated November 1, signed by Major General Then.

and

Police prohibit the use of the Dicrim uniform to officers when they are off duty

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … l-servicio

The general director of the National Police, Major General Eduardo Alberto Then, prohibited all the agents and officers that make up the different units and departments of the Central Investigation Directorate (Dicrim) of the body of order, to use the organic uniform of the institution if they are not performing a service.

The stable circular that the prohibition is made through memorandum number 34625 which indicates that the measure was adopted due to the fact that recently there have been incidents in which unscrupulous people wear outfits similar to the uniforms of the investigation units...........

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … ro-de-cabo

11 police officers including senior ones arrested in South West after investigation by Internal Affairs of kidnapping and rescue of  young police office.

Could this be linked to recent drug hauls in this region?

Could be!

The purging of the National Police will begin in the first quarter of 2022

https://eldia.com.do/la-depuracion-de-l … stre-2022/

The process of purification within the National Police will begin in the first quarter of next year, announced the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús Vásquez Martínez, who also said that since January the government will also begin to increase salary for agents.

The process will begin with the director of the Police and will be led by José Vila del Castillo, a United Nations representative in the fight against drugs and crime for Latin America.

When participating in the lunch of the Communications Corripio group, Vásquez Martínez indicated that these actions are part of the reform process at that institution, which is already underway and which includes spending more efficiently resources, extending the training time of the agents and the application of the regulations for the application of the organic law, among other points.

Currently, 87% of the budget that the uniformed company receives is destined to payroll and the remaining 13% is divided into 5% for fuel and only 0.07% is destined to the training of agents, according to the Interior Minister.

The minister said that in next year's Budget 70% has been earmarked for payment of salaries and 30% will be for the operational part and training, since training is essential for the government.

The message to the director

The message from the Minister of the Interior to the new director of the Police at the time of swearing in was that corruption in the institution has to be faced from within and that the Constitution and the laws be complied with.........

Police and families are to get free meals too at some comadores as part of their improving wage and benefits package.

All positive news as more arrests of deliquents continues and arrests of corrupt police officers in Barahona who stole drugs.

Eduardo Alberto Then: "The company that existed in the National Police is over"

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … OB30025847

The director general of the National Police, Major General Eduardo Alberto Then, said this Thursday in Santiago that many police officers understand that the institution is a company from which they can profit.

"The existing company in the National Police is over ," the high-ranking officer warned the members of the uniformed police, and reported that he is sweeping his house and then going out to sweep someone else's.

The Major General assured that he is not "afraid" to sign the cancellation or withdrawal of any agent, regardless of rank, who incurs acts of corruption.

He indicated that he will confront crime firmly when the process of removing the "damaged human resources" from the institution he directs is finished.

"As long as we do not change this police attitude for that of an honest, serious and responsible agent, capable of leading by example to society, there will be no Police," stressed the general director of the uniformed police.

The police chief expressed himself in these terms during an ordinary meeting of the Local Board of Security, Citizenship and Gender of Santiago, which was headed by the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús –Chu- Vásquez.

Good words and lets hope in the next 2 years we see the changes.

Government instructs start of restructuring of the educational system of the National Police

https://eldia.com.do/gobierno-instruye- … a-policia/

Through presidential provision number 23903 signed by the Head of State, Mr. Santana Sánchez is ordered to coordinate and direct, in conjunction with the Ministry of the Interior and Police and its immediate dependency, the National Police, the restructuring of the Police Institute of Education , in accordance with article 44 of Law number 590 -16 of that institution.

He adds that the objective is to achieve a transformation of the police educational model that guarantees the full performance of the functions required of the police force, "a quality professional service, addressing as a priority the doctrine and philosophy of the National Police."

Likewise, President Luis Abinader instructs the honorary advisor to the Executive Branch on citizen security policies and the prison system to proceed with the reevaluation of the curricular system and the design of a new and rigorous process for recruitment and entry into the National Police .

It specifies that, in the same sense, "address the reevaluation of teaching profiles, as well as the preparation of temporary corrective measures to improve ongoing police educational processes."

The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, also instructs the honorary advisor of the Executive Branch on citizen security policies and the prison system, Roberto Santana, to prepare educational proposals for the Working Group for the Transformation and Professionalization of the National Police, created by Decree number 211-21, of April 6, 2021, and carry out the necessary coordination with the institutions and relevant national or foreign entities.

They are already in action...

Police pay is normally deposited to bank accounts.
This pay, you must show up, verify your ID and collect a check...

Looking to flush out the bogus pay checks.

This has worked in other departments earlier this year

Source -

Diario Libre reports that police are required to stand in line to pick up this month’s paychecks personally. For years, government officers, including police officers, have been paid with a money transfer to an assigned bank account. Now the Comptroller Office is requiring each beneficiary to go in person to pick up the month’s check so that an independent person can verify if the person whose name is on the check is employed in the role for which the person is getting paid for.

PN eliminates checkpoints

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … e-chequeos

The director of the National Police, Major General Eduardo Alberto Then, prohibited checkpoints and checks in the streets and highways of the country because he understands that they are not very effective in arresting criminals.

The police director said checkpoints and checks turn out to be hateful to honest and working people.

In addition, he pointed out that the criminals "go out to look" since they never appear at the checkpoints and surrender to the authorities.

The police director indicated that honest and working people, when they see a checkpoint, usually follow their path calmly, which causes them inconveniences due to the loss of time and inconvenience of the activity.

Last Easter, a married couple who were traveling from Villa Altagracia to Santo Domingo lost their lives when they arrived at a checkpoint installed by the National Police.

The young spouses Elisa Muñoz and Joel Díaz were shot without words.

The reason given by the National Police is that the agents were on the trail of an alleged gang that stole motorcycles and had received an alert from Bonao that the alleged assailants were going in the same direction.

The agents alleged that the vehicle in which the couple was traveling was white, the same color that they had been warned about.

"Checkpoints for me are hateful to good society. The offender has never gone to a checkpoint ... I have not seen the first criminal who has gone to a checkpoint to have handcuffs put on him, ”said the Major Gener

A good move imo by the new Director of Police. Should stop the propinas sought at these checkpoints too.

One suspects there will still be DIGISETT checkpoints though for traffic compliance checks.

These are the main recommendations to transform the National Police

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … a-nacional

The working group for the transformation and professionalization of the National Police, coordinated by Servio Tulio Castaños, presented this Monday to President Luis Abinader his report on the conditions of the law enforcement body and the changes necessary for its improvement.

Among the essential aspects that, according to the document, must be significantly improved is a control regime, especially of an external type, to which the president assured that they will pay special attention to make it effective.

Another element that they considered necessary to address was the lack of restructuring of salary compensation, the excessive centrality of police action and the historical insufficiency of resources.

President Abinader also stressed that to enter the ranks there must be specific criteria, emphasizing that these requirements should not undermine the fundamental rights of citizens.

Other indicators mentioned were deficient academic and procedural training, as well as an “erroneous and disproportionate” approach of the force to apply the order, to which is added the lack of structuring of entry profiles and the implementation of a culture of service to citizens .

The working group also considered it important to delve into the strengthening of the career, the structuring of the compensation regime, and review of the character of the so-called specialisms.

Also, that performance evaluation is essential to obtain promotions and that the institution assumes the current government's commitment to transparency; that citizen oversight is regulated by independent commissions, as well as the adaptation of disciplinary procedures.

The Head of State said that this working group should become a "follow-up group" for the transformation and professionalization of the National Police, after describing the study as an extraordinary work with which "a police reform is truly achieved."

This team, sworn in in April of this year, had a period of one year to meet the objectives set out in Decree 211-21 that formed them, including making recommendations to achieve an adequate sanctions regime for members of the National Police who incur in faults, always following due process.

Servio Tulio on policemen in the private sector: "Here whoever wants to be taken care of, pay for their security"

President Luis Abinader indicated that 2,500 agents who provided services outside the institution have been reinstated.

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … -seguridad

The coordinator of the working group for the transformation and professionalization of the National Police, Servio Tulio Castaños Guzmán, demanded to dismantle the practice of using members of the military institution for the benefit and individual security in the private sector.

During the presentation of the final report of the working group, Castaños Guzmán was critical when referring to the use of police officers in private activities and requested, among the recommended measures, the reintegration of the agents appointed to work outside the institution...............

Severely under resourced PN had 2500 of its work force providing private security!

You know it may be that  this is caused by translation...........but.............. this is a bunch of  talking around and around in circles and gobbeldy goop!   

Can they just say something straight up?

@Allor925

I've lived in eight different countries - and travelled to more than I can count - and I can say confidently that the Dominican 'police' are, by far, the worst I've ever witnessed. It's not even close. They are basically a gang that makes a living extorting people.

They routinely blackmail locals and tourists alike. The way that they behave generally when on any kind of 'operation' ie stealing from and falsely arresting people is with outrageously unchecked aggression.

I have watched them beat children with batons, intimidate and harass totally innocent people who have no ability whatsoever to fight back. When they approach you with such aggression it's actually to be expected that some citizens will respond in kind. It's a human instinct. Then it immediately escalates and you have a policeman executing a Dominican citizen.

To use the word 'police' for these people is an insult to the word. They are at best - hired goons - and at worst, dangerous criminals operating with impunity.

I have lived in the DR for two years and I'm much, much less afraid of criminals than the police - and with good reason.