Senators prepare to discuss a police reform with several crucial points

Santo Domingo.- The Senate of the Republic is preparing to debate the National Police Modernization and Transformation Bill, an initiative that incorporates crucial provisions, designed to generate broad debate both in the citizenry and within the police institution itself.

The piece deposited yesterday by the legal consultant of the Executive Power, Antoliano Peralta, incorporates key aspects, such as the total prohibition of police officers providing service in public institutions or private companies, except in exceptional cases. It also establishes a strictly professionalized police career, which means that it can only be exercised as an agent being a career member.

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The President of the Senate, Ricardo de Los Santos, said that the bill is on the agenda to be sent to committee today and for the corresponding work to begin. The legislator gave guarantees to fulfill President Luis Abinader’s promises to give the country the reforms it needs. Likewise, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco, pointed out that the bill that the Senate is considering today is the result of an exhaustive study carried out by experts, in which the necessary transformations are proposed to provide the country with the National Police that the citizenry demands.” “Undoubtedly, this new regulatory framework will serve to tell the Dominican Republic that we have a totally transformed National Police,” Pacheco pointed out. Senator Dagoberto Rodriguez considered that one of the points that a project like this cannot fail to address is the issue of the abusive use of police force. “What cannot be missing is discipline, disrespecting the population and being inconsiderate of the population, that cannot be tolerated,” Rodriguez said. The Bill modifies Organic Law 590-16, of July 15, 2016, on the National Police. President Luis Abinader highlighted prior to being deposited in the Upper Chamber that this project constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of police reform, aimed at consolidating a more modern, professional, efficient institution, and closer to the citizenry.

Critical Project Points

Last Minute had access to the deposited piece that incorporates a strict regime on the use of force and a comprehensive professionalization of the police career. Articles 148 to 161 establish mandatory criteria of legality, necessity, proportionality, and reasonableness, in addition to protocols for the use of less lethal weapons and the obligation to notify the Public Ministry when an intervention causes damage. In parallel, Title IV, which includes Articles 108 to 110, defines that the police function can only be exercised by career members, with certified training and mandatory requirements for promotions. These provisions seek to reduce abuses, strengthen transparency, and transform the institutional structure of the National Police. Another key point is the strengthening of institutional transparency, with unprecedented obligations for the police force. Section II of Transparency orders that all high, medium, and operational management personnel must submit a sworn declaration of assets, which will be public except for strictly personal data. In addition, the Police must publish their regulations, contracts, disciplinary data, and agreements with private entities. With these provisions, the project aims to reduce administrative discretion and raise citizen control standards.