Only in Dominican Republic: Police chief lost track of 2,300 cops

Santo Domingo.- In yet another ‘only in Dominican Republic’foible, National Police chief Nelson Peguero on Fridayadmitted he doesn’t know what many of the force’s 38,000 police officers do.

During a discussion with Dominican newspaper editors-in-chiefat the Police Officers Club Peguero said has 38,000 agents, of which 34,000 arein uniform and 15,000 are assigned to patrols.

Moreover the official said around 4,000 are contracted; 2,000are assigned to senior officers and government officials, but doesn’t know whatservice around 2,300 of them perform.

He said the world average is 250 police officers per100,000 inhabitants and if applied in the country, it needs 25,000 agents, andnot the 38,000 in the ranks now.