Haiti Reshuffles Police High Command Amid Rising Kidnappings

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti's government has named Inspector General Frenel Saintil as the new head of the Administrative Police, part of a shake-up in the force amid a rise in kidnappings, according to reports carried by almomento.net citing the daily Le Nouvelliste. Saintil, who from that post will oversee most of the specialized units, replaces Inspector General Jacques Joel Orival, now appointed Security Coordinator of the National Palace, the outlet reported. The changes in the National Police (PNH) high command, driven by the increase in abductions and dissatisfaction among political authorities, also include the designation of Commissioner Lukner Dumond as new head of the force's Logistics Directorate. According to Le Nouvelliste, the wave of ransom kidnappings coincides with a decline in the PNH's operational effectiveness, a deterioration of relations among high-command members, and ongoing armed-gang violence. PNH Director General Vladimir Paraison, who has led the institution for a year, now has these new officials under his command, with the principal task of restoring security undermined by the criminal groups. The reported changes remain developing and are attributed to a single source.