Community Policing begins in Delmas Neighborhood

In response to the growing problem of police mistrust by Haitians, the U.S. State Department has initiated a community policing program. The goal is to engender trust between the community and police. The reason is to raise the apprehension rate and decrease crime.

The PNH comprises 10,000 officers expected to adequately serve a population of 10 million inhabitants. Plans are to increase the HNP by another 5,000 officers by 2016.

Foot patrols have begun in Delmas, in addition to school classroom visits to inform youth of police officers' responsibilities and duties to the community. The youths posed questions to the officers about why they gassed protestors, and how rich Haitians seem to benefit from the HNP's protection, but not poorer ones.

The community policing program has trained 40 Delmas police officers on ethics, human rights, and communications. They are being advised by New York Police Department Haitian-American officers as they foot patrol in Delmas.

Director Stuart Smith of the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs said his agency has funded policing programs in Haiti for five years, upwards of $15 million yearly.

Reply to this article

Read more: Delmas, Haiti National Police, Hatian National Police, PNH, Community Policing, Security Crime Law and Order

« Haitian government to build motorways over Carrefour and Delmas | Main | Michael Karl Geilenfeld detained at St. Joseph's Home for Boys in the Delmas »

Return to Articles List

Our objective is to share with you news and information about Haiti and the people of Haiti. Traditions, habits and the way we were  or  grew are alive in this site. We highly recommend that you Subscribe to our Newsletter and also share with us some of the things that are memorable and made us unique people.