Sectors reject "iron fist" against new PN director

Santo Domingo. – Given the appointment of the new director of the National Police, Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz, various sectors express their rejection regarding the use of "iron fist" to combat crime in the country.

The president of the Dominican Commission of Human Rights, Manuel María Mercedes, harshly criticized this Thursday the use of "tough hand" speeches to confront criminal acts, considering them repetitive and lacking real results. He pointed out that in more than 40 years of democratic life, different directors of the National Police have resorted to the same rhetoric, while the institution continues to top statistics of human rights violations. "It's a shame that we resort to already worn-out phrases because in the last 40 years of democratic life and that we have had different police directors and that they are all in the institution's hall of fame that has most violated human rights and they have always come with the discourse and that discourse is a lot of foam and little chocolate, threatening on the basis of what the new director has done starts badly," he expressed.

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In that sense, the president of the Interior and Police Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, Carlos Sánchez, considered that it is not advisable to demand or suggest a "tough hand" policy, highlighting that Cruz Cruz has held key positions such as Internal Affairs and Inspector General, which —in his opinion— allows him to know firsthand the challenges, successes, and failures of the police force. The legislator maintained that the new director's priority should focus on the institutional strengthening of the National Police with the follow-up to the new police reform that is underway in the National Congress, respect for citizens' rights and fundamental guarantees. "Demanding it now or recommending a firm hand, I don't think it's the most advisable thing, what he does have to do is continue working for the institutional strengthening of the police, for guaranteeing citizens' rights, fundamental rights and trying to ensure that the new police reform that is already well underway here in the Congress of the Republic, is followed up," he pointed out. For his part, the president of the Human Rights Commission of the Lower House, Pedro Martínez, maintained that resorting to this type of action deviates from the model of a constitutional, democratic, and rights-based state that governs in the Dominican Republic. He pointed out that practices such as extrajudicial executions —often presented as “shootouts”— must be eradicated, since they not only affect the image of the National Police before international organizations, but also have a negative impact on key sectors such as tourism and on the assessment of the country's institutional behavior. Regarding this, the executive vice president of the Institutionalism and Justice Foundation, Servio Tulio Castaños, pointed out that the new administration has the responsibility to dismantle those historical practices that have affected the institution's image. He indicated that the Police must adapt to a new vision of the State, focused on respect for human rights and a modern citizen security model.

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"May this process (Police Reform) conclude, but also that practices that have historically tarnished the image of the police, such as the issue of extrajudicial executions, are dismantled. That is one of the things and shortcomings that still exist within the institution, that has historically been a culture," he indicated. The new director general of the National Police, Andrés Cruz Cruz, assumed command of the institution on Wednesday with the commitment to consolidate the reduction of homicides and other crimes, as well as to continue the policies and strategies implemented during the administration of Major General Ramón Antonio Guzmán Peralta. The officer assured that his administration will be focused on strengthening citizen security and preserving the advances achieved in public order.