'Security Is A Government Priority', Says President Of The Dominican Republic

On Dec. 21, at the Police Palace, President Luis Abinader met with the Superior Police Council and presented them with brand-new motorbikes while reiterating his government's commitment to enhancing public safety, Diario Libre reported.

He said, “we continue equipping not only with transportation equipment but also other modern equipment to strengthen citizen security, which as you know is a priority of the Government of the Dominican Republic.”

These remarks were made by the president after the keys to 130 new motorcycles were handed over to the director of the National police, Eduardo Alberto Then. The motorcycles will be used to support the National System of Emergency Attention and Security 9-1-1 and for quadrant patrols that are being implemented.

The presidency will be making a total of three deliveries, until the end of January, comprising 370 motorcycles in total. This is the first of those three. The motorcycles are also equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS).

The matters discussed at the Higher Police Council meeting in the National Police Officers' room were not made public by the authorities.

The initial plan is to keep strengthening the National District, Santo Domingo, Santiago, and other parts of the country where necessary. A police officer is assigned to each sector's territorial delimitation as part of the quadrant patrol plan. In the beginning, there were 504 men, 18 in each of the 84 quadrants.

There are 117 communication radios, 84 bikes, 33 car kits, 504 body cams (body cameras), 33 trucks, 84 motorcycles, and 117 cell phones used for this patrol.

With more staff and ambulance units on the road, executive director of 911, Randolfo Rijo Gómez, stated that this agency is prepared to handle the anticipated rise in security and medical emergencies over the Christmas holidays.

The President of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), Manuel María Mercedes, accused the government of supporting human rights breaches in the suspected extrajudicial executions of alleged criminals. The Minister of the Presidency, Joel Santos Echavarría, refuted this.

The minister commented on the deaths of numerous people at the hands of the National Police during alleged gunfights. He said, "unfortunately these are circumstances that can occur, but under no circumstances will this government support any situation that violates human rights."