Dominican Republic expands new police patrol model in La Altagracia

President Luis Abinader has launched the second phase of the New Police Service and Patrol Model (MSPP) in La Altagracia, Dominican Republic. The expansion introduces 990 trained agents and reorganizes the region into 84 quadrants and 39 corridors, covering areas such as Higüey, Verón, and Punta Cana. Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful reported that previous implementations of this data-driven model led to a 35% reduction in robberies between January and July.

The deployment has sparked debate regarding police conduct and judicial processes. Senate President Ricardo de los Santos emphasized that authorities must pursue outstanding arrest warrants but urged officers to use lethal force only as a last resort. This follows concerns over the frequency of deaths during police encounters, described by some as ‘intercambios de disparos’ (exchanges of gunfire).

Psychiatrist José Miguel Gómez and other observers have criticized the practice of police-led lethal encounters, arguing that the police should not decide who lives or dies and that suspects should be processed through the legal system. Meanwhile, religious leaders, including Bishop Jesús Castro Marte, have called on young people involved in crime to surrender to the justice system to seek rehabilitation.