Given the proliferation of acts of banditry in the country, Senator Youri Latortue informs have written to Michel-Ange Gédéon the Director General of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) to propose 12 measures that can help put an end to this dangerous and worrying situation that sows mourning and terror in the population.

In his letter, a copy of which was sent to the Speakers of the two Houses of Parliament, Senator Latortue divided his 12 measures into 3 groups :

1 - Administrative and logistical measures :

• Redefine the police operational map to identify all high-risk areas to ensure better deployment of specialized units;

• Increase the number of staff available to serve the population, by reducing by 50% the police personnel seconded to the personal service of the state authorities;

• Ensure the payment without delay and in priority of the obligations due to the policemen and the execution of all the profits which they were promised;

• Identify, revoke and arrest police officers involved in gang activity.

2 - Business and Intelligence Measures :

• Ensure that operations are coordinated, scheduled and executed under the exclusive professional management of the HNP command and establish a criminal intelligence brigade;

• Establish police filter dams in all unstable areas to prevent sporadic lethal attacks such as Carrefour Feuilles, without affecting the daily functioning of citizens;

• Submit any vehicle, if need is, without exception for the official state or national plaques, to searches respecting the prescribed professionals in the matter;

• Carry out day and night patrols on major highways and extend judicial police services to ports and airports to control entry and exit of weapons and ammunition.

3- Weapon Control Measures :

• Ask any citizen who possesses a weapon for his defense within the limits of their home, to declare it to the police for legalization. If not, the police will take the necessary action;

• Make an inventory of all weapons purchased by the Haitian state and compare them with current stock to locate missing weapons;

• Identify and disarm all armed groups attached to various branches of the Government and in particular the Ministry of the Interior and the State Secretariat for Public Security;

• Strengthen outreach relationships with moral leaders in different communities and use state-seized homes to provide protection services to police informants when they feel threatened.

PI/ HaitiLibre