The National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) in a press note and a copy of which has reached INFOHATI.NET said to take note of the graduation, on May 10, 2016, of the twenty-sixth promotion of the National Police of ‘Haiti (PNH). This promotion, whose training began on September 27, 2015, with a staff of one thousand five hundred and thirteen (1.513) postulants, came out with one thousand four hundred and seventy-five (1.475) agents, including one hundred and ninety (190) women and one thousand two hundred and eighty-five (1,285) men underline the RNDDH.
However, as part of its partnership with the Permanent Recruitment Service of the PNH with regard to the vetting of aspiring police officers, the RNDDH indicates that it has shared with the officials of the police institution a list of eighty-four ( 84) individuals who bear the same names as some would-be police officers, and on whom there is serious suspicion of involvement in the commission of wrongdoing.
Included on this list:
Sixteen (16) individuals who escaped from prison due to the earthquake of January 12, 2010,
Sixteen (16) individuals involved in acts of criminal association and burglary,
Ten (10) others involved in acts of rape including one case of rape of a minor,
Seven (7) individuals involved in assault cases,
Three (3) individuals involved in armed robbery cases,
Three (3) others, prosecuted for illegal possession of firearms
Two (2) individuals deported from the United States of America because of their involvement in a case of theft and in a case of serious abuse of a minor
One (1) individual prosecuted for forcible confinement
Several other individuals prosecuted for complex crimes.
Twenty-three (23) of these listed individuals have been released but the circumstances of their release are unknown indicates RNDDH.
the RNDDH, which claims to be faithful to its commitment to help the professionalization and purification of the police institution, recommended that the authorities concerned temporarily remove applicants whose names are similar to those of the individuals listed, and to conduct an investigation in order, subsequently, to integrate into the PNH all those for whom the results of the investigation would be favorably conclusive.
Such an approach would have been beneficial both for Haitian society which, through the exorbitant taxes levied on the salaries of its members, pays PNH agents and for the agents themselves who have nothing to gain from seeing their names associated with those of individuals in conflict with the Law, simply because of a resemblance of surname.
This recommendation was favorably received.
On May 9, 2016, very late in the evening, the Head of the Permanent Recruitment Service, the Municipal Commissioner Emmanuel CORVIL and the Chief Inspector General of the PNH, Ralph Stanley JEAN BRICE confirmed to RNDDH that arrangements have been made to temporarily remove these applicants.
This is why the RNDDH was surprised to find that all the aspiring police officers of the twenty-sixth promotion without distinction, took part in the graduation, on the express recommendation of the Central Director of the Administration of General Services, Sony NOELSAINT who, presumably, cared to protect his loved ones.
The RNDDH says it condemns the fact by the police institution of deliberately ignoring an approach by an organization for the promotion and defense of human rights aimed at avoiding the integration, within the Haitian police force alone, of decried individuals , suspected of being involved in illicit acts.
The RNDDH requires that the police authorities:
• Carry out a serious and in-depth investigation around the police officers of the twenty-sixth promotion whose names are similar to those of the eighty-four (84) individuals listed;
• make the findings of the investigation public;
• Take all those who are actually in conflict with the law before the courts.
Finally, the RNDDH invites Haitian society in general to be vigilant about the recruitment of aspiring police officers. It is everyone’s duty to provide the police with all information relating to aspiring police officers, to prevent the PNH from becoming a den of bandits.
