President Luis Abinader shared advances of what would be his government’s National Citizen Safety Plan. Abinader said the unfolding of the plan has been delayed because thousands of police are busy enforcing the pandemic curfew.
The plan calls for removing and destroying unregistered firearms in hands of civilians and identifying motorcycle riders. Millions will be invested in what the President named “creating a new police culture.” A first RD$40 million allotment is set aside for this effort to improve the police.
The President had already announced improved wages and benefits for the Police. Now he says the government has budgeted to renovate 202 of the 717 police stations. The remainder will be renovated in 2022.
The measures also encompass the strengthening of attention to women in cases of domestic violence. President Luis Abinader announced the creating of the Specialized Directorate for the Protection of Women and Domestic Violence, with a presence in 14 Police districts, 26 units of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and 20 shelters managed by the Ministry of Women. The government announced RD$256 million has been allocated for this chapter.
The President also announced the Digesett highway patrol would be strengthened.
The President said that the government is offering incentives for people to turn in unregistered firearms. The government estimates there are around 50,000 registered firearms in circulation, yet around 188,0000 unregistered firearms. The government said it will be working with business leaders, community leaders, religious groups, clubs and other social groups and with the provincial governors’ offices to offer incentives for people to turn in their guns. Abinader said there will also be cash incentives for police, military and customs officers who seize illegal firearms when on the job. Private citizens that help detect the firearms will also receive cash awards or coupons that can be used to purchase goods.
As of 1 June, the President announced the implementing of a new plan to identify motorcycle riders. These will need to wear the numbered sleeveless jacket. The plan is to reduce the number of motorcyclists driving without a license that are involved in hundreds of crimes.
Abinader also said that more technology will be unfolded to help the police to carry out their objectives. The results of the new strategy will be recorded by the Center for Analysis of Citizen Safety. He said that the government would soon announce a new technological advances whereby citizens can directly interact with the Police in real time via mobiles.
The President announced that the government is working on the installation of a modern criminal police lab.
Listin Diario recalls several previous similar announcements to disarm the population and reduce crime by the governments of Leonel Fernandez, Hipólito Mejía and Danilo Medina that did not produce desired results in a feature published on 23 March 2021. Altagracia Salazar in her Sin Maquillaje morning commentary observes that the Police “is the same.” She highlights corruption in the Police remains. She observes that similar plans under past administrations provided opportunities for persons of influence to profit and that the difference now is that the Abinader government “does not have money.”
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Presidency
El Caribe
23 March 2021