Santo Domingo.- Major General Ernesto Rodríguez García took office this Tuesday as the new Director General of the National Police, in compliance with Decree no. 558-26, issued by the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader. One of the main challenges he will face will be to provide continuity to the police reform.
Rodríguez García takes over an institution immersed in a process of transformation that the Government defines as the most profound reform of the police force in more than 90 years.
The new director has direct knowledge of the institution’s control and oversight mechanisms. In February of this year, he had been appointed Inspector General of the National Police, a position from which he was part of the structure in charge of institutional strengthening and the police reform process.
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His career includes responsibilities in the areas of prevention, citizen security, and traffic. He served as director of the General Directorate of Traffic and Land Transportation Safety (Digesett) until September 2020.
According to the information provided by the Executive Branch, he entered the Cadet Academy in 1987 and is a technician and officer in Police Sciences, as well as a law graduate, magna cum laude, from the Caribbean University (Unicaribe).
Pending police reform
The Organic Law Project for the Modernization and Transformation of the National Police, a 315-article initiative that seeks to reform the current Law No. 590-16, was approved by the Senate and subsequently sent to the Chamber of Deputies, where it remained under study by the Permanent Commission of Interior and Police.
However, the piece expired upon the conclusion of the legislative session without completing its approval, so it must be submitted again to the National Congress during the Second Ordinary Legislative Session of the 2026-2027 constitutional period to restart its legislative process.
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The initiative constitutes one of the main regulatory components of the police reform process and proposes substantial changes to the structure, career path, disciplinary regime, training, social security, and functioning of the institution.
Another component to which Rodríguez García must provide continuity is technological modernization. In April, the Police presented Sentinel Case, an intelligence platform aimed at criminological analysis and strengthening the management of criminal investigations. Rodríguez García participated in that presentation in his capacity as inspector general.
The control of police actions constitutes another sensitive point in the process. The Ministry of Interior and Police maintains that supervision and evaluation mechanisms have been strengthened and upholds a policy of submitting cases to the Public Prosecutor’s Office whenever officers are accused of irregular conduct.
Although authorities highlight progress in security indicators and institutional modernization, insecurity remains among the population’s main concerns. Therefore, the challenge is not limited to executing administrative, technological, or educational changes, but also to ensuring that their results are perceived by the citizens.
Inauguration ceremony of Ernesto Rodríguez
The Minister of Interior and Police, Faride Raful, led the handover ceremony this Tuesday, during which she inaugurated Major General Ernesto Rodríguez García as the new Director General of the National Police. During the ceremony, Raful reaffirmed the Dominican government’s support for the new administration and thanked Major General Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz, now retired, “for his commitment and service at the head of the institution”.
Cruz Cruz also highlighted the trajectory of his successor, urging him to exercise his new responsibilities with firmness, responsibility, and adherence to institutional principles. Likewise, he wished him success in his management and reiterated his confidence in his leadership.
