Above: the first graduates (Photo: MT Haiti)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti has graduated the first class of cadets of its new “tourist police,” the government announced.

The officers, who will be part of a force called “Politour,” graduated at the National Police Academy in Petion-Ville last week.

Above: the force’s new logo

The ceremony was intended to coincide with the celebration of “World Tourism Day.”

The first crop of cadets includes 52 officers, whose primary function will be to work on the “safety of tourist sites” and support operators in the tourism sector, according to a statement from the Ministry of Tourism.

It’s thought that the force will be modeled on similar forces around the world, most of which also perform tourism informational functions.

The force will also be receiving assistance from the City of New Orleans, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this month.