Some 300 to 400 National Police agents are being retired as of today, informed Police & Interior Minister Franklyn Almeyda, as part of the clean-up process announced yesterday. While the minister cited the reasons for the forced retirements as “varied,” he elaborated that the misconduct of certain agents was justification for their departure. “There are agents who have been cited for misconduct, have committed repeat offenses, or have had charges brought against them… there are others whose age obliges them to retire…,” said Almeyda. Another reason for the review of the NP’s ranks is to modernize the institution and give it a fresh face in terms of personnel. The agents being recommended for retirement will have their cases decided by the Superior Police Council, which is to meet today at 10 am.
Almeyda made his statements after leaving a meeting of the NP’s Reform and Modernization Commission and was accompanied by Police Chief Manuel de Jesus Perez Sanchez. The NP chief presented a document that said the police clean-up is designed to “improve mobility and communication” and he spoke of the goal to have 16,000 agents working the streets and 4,000 select operatives to combat delinquency. Perez Sanchez explained that the depuration is not an isolated campaign, but one that will form part of a set of measures to assess police training, budget and expenditures and communication and transportation equipment. Minister Almeyda also mentioned a plan to set up a laboratory to study weapons fired in crime situations and trace their users.