In a significant step toward strengthening bilateral security cooperation, the Dominican National Police and the Narcotics Affairs and Law Enforcement (INL) division of the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic have opened a dedicated liaison office at the Dominican police headquarters in Santo Domingo. The new facility is designed to accelerate joint efforts to dismantle transnational organized criminal networks and advance the Dominican Republic’s national police modernization agenda.
The official inauguration ceremony was marked by the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding between Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz, Director General of the Dominican National Police, and Rebeca Márquez, head of the U.S. INL mission in the country. This agreement lays out a framework to expand collaborative strategic projects, deliver targeted technical assistance, and scale up specialized law enforcement and security training programs for Dominican personnel.
Speaking at the event, Márquez highlighted that the dedicated liaison office will remove long-standing coordination barriers between the two agencies, directly boosting their collective operational capacity to disrupt cross-border criminal activity. She specifically acknowledged the proactive partnership and extensive logistical support provided by senior Dominican police leadership and the country’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (Dicrim) throughout the process of establishing the new office.
In his remarks, Cruz Cruz extended gratitude to the U.S. government and the INL for their sustained commitment to the Dominican Republic’s ongoing police reform initiative. He underscored that structured international collaboration and access to specialized professional training are irreplaceable tools for strengthening Dominican law enforcement’s institutional capacity. Ultimately, these investments, Cruz Cruz noted, will enable the national police to deliver a more efficient, transparent, and professional public service centered on improving citizen safety across the country.