Santo Domingo.-The death of two police officers during a shootout yesterday in Los Alcarrizos activates the demand of the population to carry out a reform in that institution.
According to the authorities’ report, Corporal Adrian Antonio Rodríguez Torres, 30, and private Steven Betances Lachapelle, died in the shooting in the Las Mercedes neighborhood of Los Alcarrizos.
Both, according to the report, belonged to a gang of robbers, and died in a confrontation with a patrol from the institution that was following them.
The gang to which they belonged was dedicated to committing robberies, kidnappings and selling drugs, according to the report provided by the uniformed police.
You may be interested in reading: Two police officers among 6 gang men who killed patrol
In the event, three other members of the “Los Papo Trenza” gang died, identified as Eric Ramón Pérez Germán, alias “El Mello or La Braza”, aged 28; Jefry Bienvenido Rosa Ferreras, alias “Jefry Trenza”, and another known as Milesy “La Pólvora”.
Many citizens believe that a police reform to remove from the ranks of that body people who are dedicated to committing criminal acts.
They give as an example that in less than a month three uniformed officers have died during events related to robberies or “thumps for business.”
“In almost all the robberies the police or the military are involved, because the young people who are entering are not purged, to determine if they have pending issues with the justice system,” said the worker José Díaz.
The arrest of private Ronny Recio Rosario was recently reported, accused of killing a subject during a takedown for selling weapons in the El Maizal neighborhood, in the Yaguita de Pastor sector, in Santiago de los Caballeros.
The Commissioner for Police Reform, Jose Vila del Castillohe assured recently, that “a mafia that involves from management to the lowest rank” operates in the institution.
After his statement, several former directors came out to “defend their honor”, under the allegation that the accusations do not correspond to reality.
The participation of police and military in criminal acts is an old practice that the governments of the day have never shown interest in confronting.
It is recalled that in 2011 a Navy ensign and a Dominican Air Force corporal were arrested, accused of robbing and robbing a merchant of 325 pesos in cash.
This event occurred in the Santo Domingo Este municipality, according to the report from the authorities at the time.
Likewise, the assault that occurred in 2009 at a company located in the Villa Duarte sector, in the same demarcation, in which various soldiers were involved, is recalled.
