Above: the graduation ceremony (Photo: OP Haiti)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
Haiti has 1,058 new police officers in the country, following the latest graduation ceremony this week at the Haitian National Police’s Police Academy.
The new promotion is the first in the force’s 2012-2016 development plan.
HNP Director General Godson Orelus said the new officers would soon “strengthen local structures and specialized units to revitalize routine police work.”
The force also said it is trying to recruit more women to join the force; of the 1,058 new graduates, 111 were women.
Haiti’s government is on a push to increase the size of its police force significantly, with the ultimate goal of raising the number of officers from 10,000 to 15,000 by 2016.
Haiti President Michel Martelly presided over the ceremony, joined by legislators and representatives of Haiti’s international partners.