Dominican Republic: they replace the director of the Police and launch reform

File image showing members of the National Police during a protest in Santo Domindo on June 24, 2019. (Credit: Erika Santelices / AFP / Getty Images) SANTELICES / AFP)

(CNN Spanish) -

The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, announced this Sunday the beginning of a reform of the National Police through a series of measures that range from evaluation and education to the implementation of technologies to monitor members of the institution of order.

Abinader also announced the replacement of the director of the National Police, General Edward Sanchez, while defending his performance at the head of the institution saying that he performed with honesty and transparency.

The president described the decision as "normal" and said it was a time to make changes, not for anything specific but as part of the usual movements that occur in any government or private company.

• They investigate a policeman who 'accidentally' killed the wrong man during a chase in the Dominican Republic

The administration of Sánchez González coincided with a time of strong criticism of the National Police due to several cases in which civilians were killed by the actions of agents of the institution.

In all these cases, the Police opened internal investigations or placed the agents at the disposal of the Prosecutor's Office.

The new director of the National Police is General Eduardo Alberto Then, who will be sworn in on Monday by the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús Vásquez, and is expected to meet with the Police Reform Commission on Tuesday.

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Police educational evaluation and re-signature

Abinader pointed out that, as part of the reform, the planned evaluation "will determine for the first time in our history which police officers serve the task of protecting the life and property of citizens. In this way we will finally achieve a professional police force."

Among the measures announced by the president are the hiring of an international firm to evaluate the performance of all members of the National Police.

"We cannot allow untrained police officers to patrol the streets," the president said.

He also said that, with the advice of the Colombian and Spanish police, there will be a restructuring of the National Training Institute of the National Police.

"While these police education centers are being built, a special agreement will be signed with the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), so that in its regional centers the retraining and updating programs for police officers will be taught, as well as to publicize and implement the aforementioned regulations, because we cannot allow a day that the lack of professionalism harms the citizens, "he said.

Body and patrol cameras

The head of state revealed that the police began to use body cameras (bodycam) so that all the actions of the members are recorded, which will allow better transparency, supervision and thus the uniformed present better service.

In the same way, they will place high definition cameras for internal and external visualization of the patrol vehicle, recording and viewing of videos and the ability to monitor and listen to live audio.

Along with these equipments, the vehicles will have a video recording system for up to 30 days, GPS with live and historical monitoring of the vehicle's route, including speed, motion sensors, speed, gasoline sensor input capacity, turning the vehicle on and off and connectivity to the Monitoring Center using LTE data technology.

Abinader said that on Monday, October 25, he will enact the application of Law No. 590-16, or the Organic Law of the Police.

This law implies a regulation on the use of police force, performance evaluation, independent commissions, uniforms and police reserve, among other aspects.