As reported in last week’s DR1 news, the Attorney General, along with the Supreme Court and the National Police, have established three “complementary” measures regarding the need to obtain a judge’s warrant for arrest before detaining an accused person. According to El Caribe, the police and the assistant DAs can arrest a person without a judge’s order if they find evidence that a crime has been committed. In the second additional stipulation, the Supreme Court and the Attorney General announced that the judges of the instruction phase, as well as certain court judges and the assistant district attorneys, will work rotating shifts, 24 hours a day. The final measure authorizes the police to arrest anyone caught in the act of committing a crime or immediately after, if there is evidence that a crime has been committed.
Despite protests from police officials, the Attorney General yesterday confirmed that the controversial “redadas” (police round-ups) would from now on be prohibited. Victor Cespedes Martinez said, “The days of the round-up are over, since the introduction of resolution 14783-03. This nation is wise and fair, and knows how to uphold (the laws).”