The appointment of Armed Forces General Pedro de Jesus Candelier as new chief of the National Police was interpreted by the local press as a message to delinquents that the government intends to reduce the surge in crime in recent years. Crime has increased, with slum areas reporting statitistics such as 84 victims in January-February 1999 alone. With the appointment, the President also seeks to make up with president of the Senate Ram?n Alburquerque who confronted then Police chief Sanz Jimini?n, who was on site at the Dominican Municipal League and tried to impede Alburquerque from entering the headquarters of the league. The appointment also seeks to resolve the controversy over who was the authority over directing transport in the city. Police agents had clashed with Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) agents. Prior to his appointment, Candelier was a deputy director at AMET. The better-paid and more educated traffic agents of AMET have garnered the respect of the population, for their better education, firmness and not taking bribes for violations or invented violations. Sanz Jimini?n had directed the National Police since 20 May 1997, and is recognized for his efforts and improving and making more technical the police force. The new chief of Police is a career military who is known for "not fooling around." Forty-three years old, he recently graduated as a lawyer from the Universidad de la Tercera Edad. Candelier is usually sent in when a situation needs to be resolved. He made a name for himself when confronting wealthy industrialists as director of the Department of Forestry. He was in charge of a program that obliged the later to install water treatment plants. He began his career in the security of former President Salvador Jorge Blanco, and then began to make a name for himself when stationed in the frontier zone combated contraband from Haiti. He was later stationed as commander of the Third Brigade of the Army in San Juan de la Maguana from where he performed outstanding efforts at reforesting the area. This led him to be appointed director of Forestry during a Balaguer administration. Made a name for himself arresting violators regardless of their His appointment did not meet with approval of the higher ranks of the Police, as he was an army man brought in to direct the Police. But it was a happy day for thousands in the Police, as the appointment coincided with a presidential promotion of 2,204 members of the Police, including nine lieutenant colonels, 14 mayors and 29 captains.
