The new chief of police, Major General Manuel de Jesus Perez Sanchez, visited the offices of the Listin Diario yesterday, which publication carries his profile today. The major general, according to the summary, was born in Higuey on 24 December 1959 and entered the National Police in 1979. He graduated in law from the UASD in 1985 and became a notary public. At the time of his appointment by Leonel Fernandez, Perez Sanchez was the director of the Instituto de Dignidad Humana (IDIH). He is a previous director of legal affairs of the National Police and participated in the drafting of Law 96-04 that governs the police forces.
He pledged to respect citizens? rights while strengthening efforts to combat delinquency, saying, ?Identify the delinquent, arrest him and bring him to justice ? this is what guarantees the security of citizens.? He said that it is possible to respect human rights and carry out police work.
?Citizens? security is not contradictory with human rights,? he said. ?What is in contradiction is the permissiveness of society in the face of crime, impunity, corruption, trafficking of influence and other evils,? said the former university professor.
He also visited Hoy newspaper, where he said his plans were to instate Citizen Security Committees in 34 cities. He said the committees will be made up by community leaders, neighborhood board presidents and honourable residents of each place. He said these would be support groups for the local police forces.
According to the new police chief, the 27,000 members of the National Police (of which 6% are university graduates) are sufficient to carry out the work needed, but felt they must patrol the streets. He said that to be a police agent is to patrol, make rounds and prevent crime. He said he has ordered all agents to go out there and work.