Gustavo Sánchez asserts that the National Police operates under a toll system
Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) deputy, Gustavo Sánchez, has sparked an intense political debate after analyzing the farewell speech of the former director of the National Police, retired Major General Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz. According to the legislator, the words spoken by the high-ranking official during the handover of command hide a forceful denunciation of the irregularities and corruption schemes that, in his view, persist within the law enforcement institution.
Sánchez was emphatic in pointing out that the police structure is marked by extortion practices. “It is no secret to anyone, the Police are a nest of tolls,” the deputy stated, suggesting that there are officers who collect fees in exchange for granting impunity or protection in various territorial jurisdictions.
I think, rather, that he wanted to denounce the tolls that take place in the institution through Police officers, in one way or another, who are in different territories.
Gustavo Sánchez, PLD deputy
A management marked by internal confrontation
For the congressman, Cruz Cruz’s speech was not a conventional farewell, but a reflection of the frustration accumulated during his six months in office. Sanchez interprets that the former director tried to implement structural changes that clashed with vested interests within the police force, which ultimately precipitated his departure.
The legislator added that the message from the former police chief —who urged officers to “fight for what is right, even if it costs you your job”— should be taken as a warning about the difficulty of exercising transparent management in a system that, according to his analysis, resists righteousness.
Audit proposal
Given this scenario, the PLD deputy proposed that the competent authorities conduct a thorough audit of the assets of high-ranking officers. The objective would be to determine whether the economic growth of the uniformed personnel is consistent with their official income, thereby clearing up any suspicion of illicit enrichment derived from these alleged irregular practices.
Context of the leadership change in the institution
Retired Major General Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz was replaced by Major General Ernesto Rafael Rodríguez García in an institutional reorganization process led by the Executive Branch. The transition ceremony was headed by the Minister of Interior and Police, Faride Raful. As the change of command takes place, statements from various legislators continue to fuel the public debate regarding the need for a real and profound transformation within the National Police.
