“This government is not going to tolerate these actions,” said the head of state on November 1, 2020, when visiting the family of the five-year-old girl Yulensky Batista Cuevas, who the day before was murdered by two criminals who assaulted the father of this one in Los Alcarrizos.
This was the first warning, with President Luis Abinader barely two months and 15 days after taking office, in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic and when criminal acts seemed to overwhelm the response capacity of the police and military authorities.
After this, the president issued two more warnings, but apparently the one that had the greatest impact on society was the one last Saturday at Club San Carlos, in the capital.
The population has become accustomed to hearing as normal words such as: robberies, robberies, assaults, murders, disappearances, uncertainty, restlessness, resignation, helplessness, despair, criminality.
You only have to be where there are several people gathered, read the digital or printed newspapers, watch the news and information programs, or browse the social networks to have an idea of what is happening in the Dominican Republic regarding murders, robberies and assaults. anywhere at any time.
Social networks have been invaded by videos from all over the country, in which all kinds of criminal acts are seen, including home invasions, assaults and attempted murders of taxi drivers, but above all, teams of up to four motorcycles with eight men can be seen. docking in broad daylight.
The situation has been so critical in recent days that President Abinader has returned “as on other occasions” to address the issue in an emphatic, angry and threatening manner. This time “I want to tell you right now that the criminals either turn themselves in or they will be drastically confronted by the National Police and the Government.”
“And let them know that every day we prepare so that all those who want to become men and women of good, we accept them, prepare them and help them, but those who decide, those who have another decision to alter peace and security will be confronted. in any field by this government”, added the president last Saturday.
According to some, this pronouncement by the President is a sentence for the criminals to turn themselves in or they will be confronted, or arrested alive or dead by the National Police, but it is also a call for the institution of order to start doing its job .
“The President already has to be fed up with that issue. The Government has not been able to do anything against crime, there are already two police chiefs that it has appointed and everything remains the same or worse. In addition, he knows that time is running out and it is the most important issue at the moment and the Government has 0/100,” said Genaro Vargas, a merchant from Santo Domingo Este.
Measures
Before coming to power, Abinader was already talking about the obligation of police reform as the basic axis to combat crime and police brutality. Upon his arrival, the reform began and the implementation of a series of measures that have not been applied until now was reported.
As part of the measures, cameras are installed in all patrol cars and a real-time police operational center is created, with the support of 911 fixed cameras, although this was done in some 300 patrol cars, these are not come nowhere.
Criminological consultation by means of cell phones in patrol cars for the non-intrusive and respectful purification of citizens that are required by the authority in any circumstance, is another measure that has not yet been applied.
The installation of cameras in all the detachments and also the creation of a control and monitoring center for the detachments in the Ministry of Interior and Police, has not been able to be put into operation either.
Although it is known about the implementation of drones, the retraining of police officers, and the application of some measures, police surveillance (patrols on foot, motorcycles, and trucks) on the streets of Greater Santo Domingo is almost non-existent.
The truth is that for several years, regardless of the province or the sector, you can no longer walk the streets freely, you must take into account who opens the door of your house, and be careful of the vehicle that is address because any man or woman regardless of age could be a criminal.
Regardless of the time of day or night, men on fast motorcycles (of all brands and cylinders prepared to flee) and armed with pistols and revolvers take over the neighborhoods and sectors of the country, stripping men and women of their valuables. that carry, mainly cell phones, laptops and clothing.
A NOTE
Causes
High levels of unemployment, lack of opportunities, school dropout, low quality education, family disintegration, few public policies to combat poverty and inequality, corruption, drug addiction and illegal drug trafficking, new consumption habits imposed by advertising and urban music, among other factors, contribute to the increase in delinquency and criminality throughout the country.
