Deputy Francisco Matos (PLD-Santiago) denounced what he calls the system of corruption operating in the National Police. The news made the front page of Hoy newspaper on 3 July 2018.
Matos says that officers have to pay to be promoted in the Police. He said the cost of a regional command is up to RD$5 million, as in the case of Santiago. He said a monthly fee then is commanded to stay in the position. He said the cost of the Puerto Plata command is RD$2 million and RD$700,000 a month. The commands in La Vega and La Romana, among others, also have high price tags.
“Each command has a price. In the country there are 14 commands that have their price. If you want to be the police chief in Santiago, you have to pay so many millions of pesos. That everyone knows. ” When asked who is paid the money, he said: “Oh, and who do you think, it goes up the chain of command” He argued that money has to reach the highest levels.
He said that the “Police corruption does not seem to be remedied”. He said no one is buying the story of the watchman Antonio Polonia Bueno, who the police say committed suicide while being handcuffed. Polonia is linked to the theft of more than RD$11 million from a Vimenca exchange house in Santiago. He said that four colonels operating out of their jurisdiction were those who pursued the suspects of committing the robbery in Ensanche La Isabelita in Santo Domingo East, with no prosecutor accompanying them. Matos said that as far as he can see those colonels were fishing for money. “The Police have lost the little credibility they had,” he said.
He requested President Medina take measures to deal with the Police that now has a new law, new uniform, new training, but there is lacking of commitment.
“A President who works until Sundays cannot permit corrupt policemen run amok. Dozens of serious police officers are pensioned at home and now we find the police barracks are full of corrupt,” he stated.
Read more in Spanish:
Hoy
4 July 2018
