pnh - Haiti Observer Blog

The Haitian Coast Guard (HCG), a division of the Haitian National Police, operates as a police department at sea, while performing coast guard operations. Two decades after the Haitian Navy became obsolete; the HCG was organized with two small defense boats and an American yacht. Over the years, the U.S. leased the HCG several sea vessels. When any of the vessels were destroyed in conflict, the U.S. sent replacements.

During Duvalier's reign in 1970, newer vessels, leased by the U.S. to Haitian Coast Guard, experienced revolts aboard ship, and bombed the Presidential Palace in the capital of Port-au-Prince. Forced to retreat to Guantanamo Bay, the U.S. reclaimed the vessels, but then returned them to Haiti, much to the elation of Duvalier. He designated the HCG as the Haitian Navy and tried to develop it into a more formidable operation, but failed. The U.S. continued leasing vessels to the HCG as well as reclaiming boats with expired leases.

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The Haitian National Police has had a troubled history. Organized under the Haitian Army during Duvalier's rule, its failure to fulfill proposals made by the 1987 Constitution was barred by political turmoil. It suffered from few policing resources and was burdened with responsibilities for drug and border patrol enforcement. Infiltration of its ranks by disgruntled former military officers prevented it from being effective in human rights enforcement.

Both the U.S. and UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti have poured money and resources into building up the HNP's enforcement and administrative capabilities. HNP, with outside help, has managed to build a foundation of basic administrative services under the Central Directorate of the Administrative Police (DCPA).

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The Haitian National Police (HNP) retains a detective division, the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ). One of HNP's special units, it operates six offices over 30 sections in the country. Headquartered in Clercine, all its services--excluding Police Science and Technology Center--are under one roof.

The DCPJ's purpose is to secure the crime scene, assemble forensic evidence, and look for suspects to bring to trial. Its most important function is to infiltrate organized crime syndicates. The Judicial Police works as well in fighting international crime syndicates in alliance with Interpol, the international police.
Due to the varied kinds of crimes and criminals, who commit them, the Judicial Police adapts their techniques and processes to capture, incarcerate, and bring them to trial.

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The Haitian National Police (HNP) is an 8,546-member force. Since the Haitian Army was disbanded, it has been the HNP's responsibility to provide security for the country. This number, though, is uncertain, because according to the HNP, the police force has only 5, 892 enforcement officers. The U.S. places the number even lower, somewhere between 3,500 to 4,500.

While Haiti's population of about 10 million; It is being protected by anywhere from 3,500 to 8,546 officers. No one is certain what the strength of Haiti National Police's force is, but even at the highest estimate, it falls well below an adequate number of officers needed to protect Haiti.

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Under Jean-Claude Duvalier, the Haitian National Police (HNP) existed as a two-operation department, under the Haitian Army: the Port-au-Prince Police and Rural Security Companies. Post-Duvalier, the 1987 Constitution proposed forming an independent police cadre and police academy, but political turmoil barred this from happening.

After Duvalier, only Port-au-Prince could claim the semblance of a police department. It ran under the control of the Haitian Army. Its capabilities were severely limited, but it bore responsibility for drug and border patrol enforcement, and other criminal matters. Rural Security was not an actual police force. Comprised of soldiers stationed at small posts outside major towns and cities, lower-level military officers acted as police heads.

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One of the biggest problems facing recruitment of police officers in Haiti National Police's history is interference from former military officers (MO) of the Haitian Army. These interlopers have swayed the politics of the HNP, especially in the area of human rights, a necessary part of modern law enforcement. Their influence has led to abuses against politicians, political dissenters, and law-abiding citizens.

The MOs have and continue to be appointed to administrative positions within the Haiti National Police, gravely affecting the recruitment policies of hiring new officer trainees. What has taken place is training officers, some of them MOs, have used orientation and training methods unethical and insufficient in the enforcement areas of human rights violations, drug trafficking, embezzlement, and violent crimes, have corrupted the recruitment, orientation and training, and functioning of the HNP.

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The long awaited change at the National Police of Haiti has been made. Mario Andrésol has been replaced by Godson Orelius as the new Director General of the National Police. Hold on, this is until the approval of the Senate. This is no longer a rumor and this nomination confirmed that there was a conflict between Martelly Government and Mario Andrésol being the Director General of the National Police.

Nou Fe Sa Nou Vle Nan Ti Payi Sa !

What do we know about Godson Orelius?

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Here is a video just posted on the internet about an example of police brutality in Haiti.

According to the video, on April 26, 2011, Haitian Police Officers (PNH) were involved in insulting several detainees in the region of Grande Anse, Haiti.

According to the individual who uploaded the video, "One of the detainees was unconscious, a second pleading for mercy, while the third man was beaten, kicked in the face and has rocks thrown at his head by a Police officer.

Unbelievable!

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