Faride Raful warns that police officers who break the law must answer to justice

Santo Domingo.– The Minister of Interior and Police, Faride Raful, assured this Monday that any member of the National Police who acts outside the law must face the consequences of their actions, emphasizing that no agent is above the legal system.

The statements were offered during the weekly meeting of the Citizen Security Task Force, led by Vice President Raquel Peña, where the official highlighted that the reform of the National Police constitutes one of the main institutional strengthening processes promoted by the Government.

Raful stated that any irregular action by an officer must be investigated and sanctioned in accordance with the law, making it clear that the authorities will not allow impunity within the institution. “If the Police acted wrongly, they must face a sanction,” he expressed.

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The minister explained that the transformation of the National Police seeks to raise the levels of oversight, transparency, and accountability, in addition to strengthening internal controls and consolidating a more professional police force, closer to the citizenry and focused on crime prevention and the protection of the population.

In that context, he pointed out that the draft of the new Organic Law of the National Police contemplates the institutionalization of evaluation protocols for agents, the regulation of the use of force, and the strengthening of oversight mechanisms, with the purpose of guaranteeing more transparent and responsible conduct.

Raful also referred to the citizen demonstrations and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to respecting the population’s right to express themselves peacefully. He indicated that it is the responsibility of the authorities to listen to the citizens’ demands and seek responses within the institutional framework and respect for the law.

The official maintained that transforming an institution with more than 90 years of existence implies adopting complex decisions and maintaining a continuous process of evaluation and improvement. In that sense, she assured that the Government will continue to promote police reform with the goal of strengthening citizen trust in an institution that is more professional, transparent, and fully subject to the rule of law.