President Luis Abinader named Brigadier General Eduardo Alberto Then, who at the time was serving as regional director of the Barahona region since July 2021, the new director of the Police (Decree 656-21). Born 25 October 1959, Then is known for “mano dura.” He is a graduate from the National Police Cadet Academy in 1985.
He has also served as regional director around most of the country. Other top regional posts he has held are:
Regional director Central Cibao from October 2020.
Regional director Northeast based in San Francisco de Macoris from February 2020.
Regional director South Central region based in Baní in February 2019.
Regional director of the Northwest in Mao, Valverde, 2018.
Director of the Police Cadets School.
Regional director of the South based in Barahona in August 2016.
Regional director South Cibao region based in Bonao since February 2016.
Regional director of Santiago since August 2015.
Regional director Southeast based in San Pedro de Macorís February 2015.
Regional director Cibao Central based in Santiago August 2009.
Regional director North region based in Puerto Plata since February 2009.
Regional director Cibao Central based in Santiago in 2008.
Regional director North region based in Puerto Plata in 2008.
Then was sent to retirement on 16 August 2010 during the Leonel Fernández administration, but would be reinstated to the Police, together with 13 other officers, after a decision of the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) and the Constitutional Court (Decree 453-10).
Then replaces Edward Ramón Sánchez González who had been named to the position at the start of the Abinader administration on 16 August 2020. Asked about the reasons for the removal of Sánchez, Abinader said it was “the circumstances.” He called Sánchez honest and transparent. Sanchez was not a good communicator.
The President also appointed Orison Olivencio Minaya as deputy director of the Police. At the time, Minaya was serving as regional director for the western region of the National Police.
First Lady Raquel Arbaje described the new chief of the Police as law, order and “baton” (ley, orden y macana).
Diario Libre in 2019 published a report by Mariela Mejía, Tania Molina and Suhelis Tejero, “Patrulla Letal” on extrajudiciary killings by the Police over the years since 2004 that has marked the “mano dura” philosophy in the Police. Then is known in the Police as “mano dura.”
Read more:
Presidency
El Caribe
El Dia
El Nuevo Diario
Diario Libre
El Caribe
Diario Libre
18 October 2021