Police headquarters. File photo
SANTO DOMINGO. - Police chief Rafael Guzmán today asked his agents to define themselves and work honestly and against temptations during a time he said they’re harassed and challenged on all fronts, one day after 31 generals from different services were placed on retirement and more than 700 police agents discharged.
“Today more than ever, harassed by increasingly more challenges, that arise at all fronts, just when the drug trafficking persists in crippling society, it’s time for all police agents and officers, the men and women of our dear institution, the crucial moment has come to raise our chest, because this is the moment to define ourselves; we’re with the nation or we’re against it,” he said.
Guzmán, speaking to a group of officers from the different military branches during a mass to mark the Police’s 73rd anniversary, thanked the Armed Forces for their support, and reaffirmed the commitment to jointly combat drug trafficking, organized crime violence.
The Police chief said they’ll act with valor and firmness, and with respect to human rights.
Written by: belly51, 2 Mar 2009 12:15 PM
From: Dominican Republic, San Francisco y Houston,TX
Here is my thinking,
If they are being discharged for corruption how about bringing them to justice before you let them go into the street and become possible drug dealers and any other kind of stuff.I sure won't like to see any of them on the streets unless they are clean.Don't just fire police to make a statement, Bring them to justice and that would make a bigger statement.Pa la Victoria con jabon en mano.
Written by: Chuco, 2 Mar 2009 1:11 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Mata Grande San Jose De La Mata
thats what i was thinking know there more thugs on the street more like a budget cut to me
From: United States, Killeen, TX - Home of the 1st Cavalry
This action seem to be a matter of "getting rid of the Chaff and keeping thewheat", wouldn'tyou say?
I will submit that if any of you think you can do a better job within the limits of the present circumstances, step forward, join the Force and work your way up the ladder til you get to the top by your own efforts.
In the meantime, very carefully observe the actions that have been taken in just a short time by the Jefes in charge. They are doing what no one else has done in the past--getting rid of the "Chaff" and very quickly, at that.
When all is said and done, all these actons by the government have had a positive effect and are likely to continue being so in the future.
Personally, I applaud these efforts being taken to "clean-up" the law enforcement system as never before been done.
The efforts are filtering down to the "other" police/military forces as well.
TexasBill
Written by: Jander, 2 Mar 2009 2:04 PM
From: Dominican Republic
pro-active very good , common sense but nontheless a step in the right direction.
Written by: belly51, 2 Mar 2009 2:08 PM
From: Dominican Republic, San Francisco y Houston,TX
Texasbill
i know Rafael Guzmán is mostly a strait shooter he proved it in San Francisco by firing almost 50% of the corrupted police department i know this for a fact. But most weren't put in jail even though they committed crimes.This starting to sound like the same story here but i hope is not.
Written by: juanb, 2 Mar 2009 3:09 PM
From: Dominican Republic
Wow!! Fired!! Imagine the embarrassement. They weren't too embarrassed to perform criminal acts in front of the people they were supposed to correct, but this should really embarrass them. How about a little less embarrassment a little more jail time, instead?
Written by: belly51, 2 Mar 2009 3:17 PM
From: Dominican Republic, San Francisco y Houston,TX
JuanB
That's my point here.To me is like we (the public)have to correct the police, Hey how about we get a salary too .Some folks here been calling for a raise in salary but the ones committing most crimes are the ones with high salaries so i think is not the salary is the mentality.I know not all are crooks but is getting hard to defend that now days.
Written by: Jander, 2 Mar 2009 4:06 PM
From: Dominican Republic
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would imagine that most fired have never been convicted of a crime.
I would hope there are ongoing investigations and they are waiting for some of these guys to come forward and tell on each other so they can build a case.
Thats the way the legal system works.
More then likely there were other reasons like misconduct or dereliction of duty which is a specific offense in military law. It means that one willfully, through negligence or culpable inefficiency, fails to perform one's expected duties.
Ineptitude is a defense against the charge.
The maximum penalty in the U.S. is a bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of pay and six months confinement.
Written by: antonio1, 2 Mar 2009 8:41 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Av Santa Rosa, La Romana
This is what happens when there's a vacuum in leadership and the troops goes wild. I wonder who is pulling guard duty for the 700 individuals fire.
Written by: etiennc, 2 Mar 2009 9:41 PM
From: United States
belly69,search and destroy?????
that is what you are calling for.These people still have families to support.
haven't they andtheit families suffer enough?They shoud be given another chance.
There is a book that callsto cut tomgue,to chop arms,and to lapidate. You have been reading this book for too long.
Different time ,different culture, different method.
We beleive now in pardon,rehabilitation,and giving a second chance.
Written by: belly51, 2 Mar 2009 10:11 PM
From: Dominican Republic, San Francisco y Houston,TX
etiennc,
Oh i'm big believer in second chance but lets tell the truth here by asking a question.
How many times have they commited crimes? or How many of them only done it once?. If the answer is more the one the i'm sorry you gotta go if is only once then you get a second chance.is better to destroy and rebuild than try to fix problem with the ones causing it.a good example is car insurance the more accidents the more money you pay for it so at one point driver stop and think of ways to lower they price would be 1 Stop drive, 2 drive more carefull or 3 pay more.The only choice they have is # 2 unless they are really dumb and have lots of money.
From: Dominican Republic, Boycott Dominican Tourism
He can replace all the military officers he wants, nothing will change.
Greed is supreme, when you see all these foreigners in DR living the good life and your getting paid peanuts what do you think is going to happen?
It doesn’t matter how many officers he replaces, Leonel him self is corrupt. He can not lead by example.
There is too much money in drugs no one wants to let it go and you know what you call that? Materialism, Capitalism
I don’t care how many times he replaces the military officers, where there is a will there is a way, supply and demand.
That’s what you have to think about, you think those generals are going to let all those millions slip through there hands.
Stop being a fool….
From: Dominican Republic
My favorite part is where General's who live lavish lifestyles on a mediocre salary get to retire. With the benifit of pay and who knows what other perks.
Are things never going to change in my country?
Is anyone ever going to ask the tough questions?
How is it that these politicians, military "comanders", etc. afford to live like kings on such a measly salary?
From: Canada, Toronto ,Cabbagetown,Parliament and Gerrard
this is a great opportunity to revamp and change the military from the old fashioned to something new and dynamic
Written by: locco, 3 Mar 2009 9:06 AM
From: Dominican Republic
this is a good step forward but they have a long way to go the police here see every one as a salary on the street as a chance to make a couple extra dollars. i personal slowed down the payments to them by using a usa system video camera in the jeep they don,t like it so they don,t stop me anymore looking for cash seems to be working well
From: United States
Time to clean up shop and house.
From: Dominican Republic
A maid gets 8000 RD a month plus tips of around 2000 RD. A local mid -level cop gets 5900 RD. The first step to solving the problem is taking a bit of the 16% IBTIS and raising the salaries to a level where the cfops can support their family, and to a level where you attract some good people. Who can blame a cop for taking "tips" when they are on $5900 RD a month.
Written by: locco, 3 Mar 2009 12:26 PM
From: Dominican Republic
very true the don't get paid anything a good freind pn cop 10 years 7500 rd a month
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If they are being discharged for corruption how about bringing them to justice before you let them go into the street and become possible drug dealers and any other kind of stuff.I sure won't like to see any of them on the streets unless they are clean.Don't just fire police to make a statement, Bring them to justice and that would make a bigger statement.Pa la Victoria con jabon en mano.
I will submit that if any of you think you can do a better job within the limits of the present circumstances, step forward, join the Force and work your way up the ladder til you get to the top by your own efforts.
In the meantime, very carefully observe the actions that have been taken in just a short time by the Jefes in charge. They are doing what no one else has done in the past--getting rid of the "Chaff" and very quickly, at that.
When all is said and done, all these actons by the government have had a positive effect and are likely to continue being so in the future.
Personally, I applaud these efforts being taken to "clean-up" the law enforcement system as never before been done.
The efforts are filtering down to the "other" police/military forces as well.
TexasBill
i know Rafael Guzmán is mostly a strait shooter he proved it in San Francisco by firing almost 50% of the corrupted police department i know this for a fact. But most weren't put in jail even though they committed crimes.This starting to sound like the same story here but i hope is not.
That's my point here.To me is like we (the public)have to correct the police, Hey how about we get a salary too .Some folks here been calling for a raise in salary but the ones committing most crimes are the ones with high salaries so i think is not the salary is the mentality.I know not all are crooks but is getting hard to defend that now days.
I would imagine that most fired have never been convicted of a crime.
I would hope there are ongoing investigations and they are waiting for some of these guys to come forward and tell on each other so they can build a case.
Thats the way the legal system works.
More then likely there were other reasons like misconduct or dereliction of duty which is a specific offense in military law. It means that one willfully, through negligence or culpable inefficiency, fails to perform one's expected duties.
Ineptitude is a defense against the charge.
The maximum penalty in the U.S. is a bad-conduct discharge, forfeiture of pay and six months confinement.
that is what you are calling for.These people still have families to support.
haven't they andtheit families suffer enough?They shoud be given another chance.
There is a book that callsto cut tomgue,to chop arms,and to lapidate. You have been reading this book for too long.
Different time ,different culture, different method.
We beleive now in pardon,rehabilitation,and giving a second chance.
Oh i'm big believer in second chance but lets tell the truth here by asking a question.
How many times have they commited crimes? or How many of them only done it once?. If the answer is more the one the i'm sorry you gotta go if is only once then you get a second chance.is better to destroy and rebuild than try to fix problem with the ones causing it.a good example is car insurance the more accidents the more money you pay for it so at one point driver stop and think of ways to lower they price would be 1 Stop drive, 2 drive more carefull or 3 pay more.The only choice they have is # 2 unless they are really dumb and have lots of money.
Greed is supreme, when you see all these foreigners in DR living the good life and your getting paid peanuts what do you think is going to happen?
It doesn’t matter how many officers he replaces, Leonel him self is corrupt. He can not lead by example.
There is too much money in drugs no one wants to let it go and you know what you call that? Materialism, Capitalism
I don’t care how many times he replaces the military officers, where there is a will there is a way, supply and demand.
That’s what you have to think about, you think those generals are going to let all those millions slip through there hands.
Stop being a fool….
Are things never going to change in my country?
Is anyone ever going to ask the tough questions?
How is it that these politicians, military "comanders", etc. afford to live like kings on such a measly salary?