Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s National Police on Wednesday announced legal assistance for 136 police agents now behind bars for their involvement in deaths while on duty, the first such measure in its more than half century since founded.

“We will incorporate civilian lawyers to say what the police cannot say on the stand, so they defend with pride each case where the police are involved in cases of deaths in the fulfillment of their duty and for the benefit of the nation,” said National Police Central command director Nelson Rosario, during the inaugural of the Legal Dept.

Rosario expressed regret for the around 136 police agents now in jail in cases where they were carrying out their duty. “Those police agents are worthy of a better fate and it’s the National Police which should provide them protection through the Central Legal command to follow up on their cases.”