Prominent Dominican political scientist and left-wing leader Francisco Miguel Herrera has issued a forceful call for the comprehensive reform of the National Police’s Central Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DICRIM), characterizing the agency as fundamentally “distorted” from its original purpose. Herrera, a recognized social activist from Francomacorisano, contends that what was established as a scientific investigative body operating under Public Prosecutor oversight has transformed into an institution perceived by citizens as repressive and abusive.
The agency’s original mandate centered on conducting methodical, evidence-based criminal investigations under prosecutorial direction, with specific responsibilities including crime scene preservation, evidence collection, and suspect identification to ensure judicial due process. However, Herrera presents compelling statistics demonstrating a severe credibility crisis: 66.5% of Dominicans identify crime as the nation’s primary concern, while 64.5% report avoiding leaving home due to safety fears—despite official reports showing a 38% reduction in robberies between 2022 and 2023.
Herrera emphasizes that the current public perception directly contradicts institutional objectives, with DICRIM’s presence generating fear rather than security. He argues that the directorate requires immediate reorientation toward its foundational mission through several concrete measures: implementing scientific rigor in criminal investigations, ensuring operational alignment with public interest, analyzing criminal behavior within police ranks, establishing coordination protocols with relevant ministries and social organizations, and creating incentive systems for credible informants.
The left-wing leader maintains that the National Police leadership bears responsibility for restoring DICRIM’s original function as a crime-solving entity rather than what he describes as an instrument of fear and repression, asserting that contemporary Dominican society demands this fundamental institutional mindset shift.