Another year, another attempt at police reform

/ December 15, 2014
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POLICE REFORM: You’re doing it wrong.

Is violence still rampant in the country? Yes.

Is homicide such a problem that it must be considered as an epidemic? Absolutely.

So, what’s the central government doing about it? They tried their hand at a new attempt of police reform. The catch is that this one flew under the radar.

Last month, Nicolas Maduro signed the Police Revolution Law as one of the fifty executive decrees he wrote, thanks to his Enabling Law powers.

What’s revolutionary about this legislation? Not much. It gives full authoritah to the brand new Presidential Commission to Transform the Police System, with the former police officer/Western Caracas Mayor/ National Assembly Deputy Freddy Bernal at the helm.

So far, this commission has taken over several local police forces, including the Libertador Municipality Police (PoliCaracas). This comes on the heels of the Robert Serra murder case, as two of its members have been charged.

Another police force that could face deep changes is the Criminal Investigations Police (CICPC). A new scandal has put the CICPC on the defensive after some of its agents were caught protecting a criminal captured in Cabimas, Zulia State. Those changes could be seen as a political victory for the colectivos (pro-government armed groups) after the death of five of their members in a shoot-out back in October. Six CICPC members have been detained for this incident.

The most curious announcement related to this “Police Revolution” plan was the creation of another police force: the Anti-Corruption National Corps, whose actions will be considered “top secret”. It will now join other security forces created this year, like the Special Protection and Security Unit of State Personalities, the Special Brigade Against Violence-Generating Groups and the Clash Force. Because you can never have too many police forces. Or cooks.

This new police reform plan distances itself from predecessors few people remember (CONAREPOL? A Toda Vida?) in the lack of promotion among the public. Perhaps the economic woes that the nation is facing makes it difficult to put effort into explaining these measures.

But maybe this is all for the better, as few believe they would have any impact on crime in the short and/or long term.

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13 thoughts on “Another year, another attempt at police reform”

  1. The picture is priceless.

    Man, we should produce mind maps for all these Chavista concoctions…ludicrous, that’s what they are.

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  2. The new Presidential Commission to Transform the Police System is clearly meant to concentrate police power into the federal government. It says “transform” not “reform”.

    It won’t work. Fish stink from the head down. Maduro is still in charge and he now has a direct line to give orders to all police in Venezuela.

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  4. I don’t think the problems starts with the police officer. They can catch and prosecute any criminal but the judges and the prisons are not there to back them up. Officers can do their best but if there is no support from the entire system it is impossible to tackle the problem.
    We can blame the officer because that the “face” we interact but the real fault should be imposed into the judicial system as a whole. If I were a police office, why should I risk my life if I know 2 month later they will be free again and will kill me? For this salary? No way
    For a simple infraction like running a red light or drunk driving there is no real penalty. Officers see a bribery request as a “punishment” to these issues since there is not system that can fairly prosecute these type of issues.
    Every time I see someone been stopped by a police office while drunk or talking over the phone they say “el policia me queria joder” C’mon man, you are doing something wrong, at least be honest and assume your responsibility.

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    • ” Officers can do their best but if there is no support from the entire system it is impossible to tackle the problem.”

      I remember some years ago that Iván Simonovis was interviewed by a RCTV program that asked about his job as commander of the PM, he stated that even when cops were doing their job, that’s risking their asses to get the criminals, he added that said criminals were almost instantly released from their detainments as soon as they left the police quarters, when the reporter asked him about “why do you think the judges and the rest of the justice system isn’t doing its job?”, he simply shrugged, almost saying “Beats me, pal, I’m trying to do my job”.

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  5. That picture accurately portrays what the venezuelan cops (with a few exceptions) and military (no exceptions) are today: Payasos.

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  6. OT: What about the oil prices? Is the default a (god)given now?
    What does “Macpapas fritas medianas y una coca cola” have to say about it?

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