Police chief, Justice minister row doesn’t phase Medina

Santo Domingo.- Although the weeks-long flap between Police chief Manuel Castro and Justice minister Francisco Domínguez reveals a lack of coordination between both law enforcement authorities, no one expects president Danilo Medina’s intervention to halt it.

Medina showed his hands-off style of governing during the months-long confrontation over the catwalk which the public works agency called OISOE sought to build at the Malecon in violation of the Protected Areas Law, to favor a university built with no parking spaces.

The row between Castro and Dominguez stems from frustrations of both entities over the dismal record of convictions for serious crimes, and has often includes the judges

Dominguez a even referred to a police method of shooting a suspect in the knee to get a confession, “which isn’t just my concern, but a matter of State.”

"It’s no time for dispute, it’s time to work, fight, recognize errors, correct them and go forward, that is the President Danilo Medina mandate," he said.

And when Castro asked "how can you have an efficient police if they’re the Dominican Government’s lowest paid employees?," Dominguez shot back, “a low salary is no excuse to do things badly."