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Haiti: Exodus of police officers hinders response to crime

Port-au-Prince, Jan 15 (Prensa Latina) The National Police Union of Haiti (SNPH) informed that 1,800 police officers fled the country last year, another factor that today makes it impossible to give an effective response to criminal gangs.

Union General Coordinator Lionel Lazare said that until October, there were 1,600 police officers, but that number dropped to 200 in November and December.

He pointed out that 39 police offficers died naturally and 37 were killed by armed gangs in 2023. In the last two years, the number of officers down was 1,950.

The police officers, who work in extremely difficult conditions, with a lack of prospects, are mostly seeking to avail themselves of the humanitarian parole program by the Government of the United States.

Recently, the SNPH demanded psychological care for the sector, the most exposed in the fight against armed gangs in Haiti.

According to a statement issued by the Union, the physical, psychological and emotional state of the agents is affected by the impact of the current harsh reality.

In addition to the risks, the situation becomes even more untenable as they cannot make ends meet with their salaries like the majority of the population, hence they leave the institution.

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