Deaths at the hands of state forces increase

SD. The deaths at the hands of state security forces, which are popularly known as "exchanges of gunfire", increased in the first half of the year, breaking the downward tendency that they experienced last year.

The report by the Observation Commission of Public Safety, released yesterday, indicates that in the first six months of this year, 87 persons died at the hands of members of the police, while during the same period last year the number was 77.

The report indicates that in all of 2013, those killed at the hands of state forces were 169, while in 2012 the number was 296, a reduction of 127 cases.

During the semester there were also some 200 deaths by unknown hands. In general terms, the Public Safety Observation Commission registered 1.203 violent deaths among which 906 were homicides and 297 were suicides. In this case there was a 5.2% reduction from the first half of 2013, where there was a total of 1,269 violent deaths: 971 homicides and 298 suicides.

They also listed 1,129 accidental deaths: 901 in traffic accidents; 146 drownings, and 82 by electrocution.

Regarding robberies, the numbers reflect an increase in the complaints. This year there have been 5,402 against 5,376 during the same period last year.

The report by the Commission was released yesterday during a presentation at the Chancellery that was headed by the Minister of the Interior and Police, Jose ramon Fadul; the Deputy Minister of Foreign Relations, Jose Manuel Trullols; and the resident representative of the United Nations in the country, Lorenzo Jimenez de Luis.

Also present at the event were the chiefs of Police, Manuel Castro Castillo; the National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), Julio Cesar Souffront; the director of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), Juan Brown; and the president of the National Drug Council, Fidias Aristy.

Jimenez de Luis called the lack of security that the Caribbean region is experiencing a tragedy from which he said the Dominican Republic does not escape. He recalled that the information help the government to take the proper measures to deal with the situation and at the same time, strengthen the democratic regime.

Jose Ramon Fadul, announced that the National Security System 911 will soon be in Santiago and they are coordinating with the authorities of the city and they already have identified the building that will house the headquarters of the operation.