Authorized statement by attorney Lolimar Escudero Rodríguez, Policy and Legislation Counsel at the ACLU of Puerto Rico, regarding House Bill 406, which seeks, among other purposes, to create the “Puerto Rico Police Act”:
“The provision contained in House Bill 406 that authorizes the Governor to pre-approve the appointments of officers holding the ranks of Inspector, Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel in the Puerto Rico Police represents a shift in the distribution of power and is contrary to the Police Reform. Allowing the Chief Executive to directly influence the Police chain of command, an institution that exercises coercive power over the public, opens the door to the misuse of police power. Granting the Governor an additional role in the confirmation of Police leadership undermines merit-based advancement and violates the Police Reform to which our Police force is subject under a final judicial decree. It also fosters a command structure susceptible to corruption, the politicization of the Police, and abuse of power.”
Proyecto de la Cámara 406
La Unión Americana de Derechos Civiles (ACLU) de Puerto Rico, organización no partidista y sin fines de lucro dedicada a adelantar los derechos civiles y humanos, recomendó enmiendas al Proyecto de la Cámara 406, que tenía como fin crear la “Ley de la Policía de Puerto Rico” para separar ese cuerpo del Departamento de Seguridad Pública (DSP). La ACLU de Puerto Rico alertó que el proyecto, sin la enmienda, faculta al Gobernador a confirmar previamente los nombramientos de oficiales con rango de Inspector, Comandante, Teniente Coronel y Coronel en la Policía de Puerto Rico, una alteración en la distribución de poder y una acción contraria a la Reforma Policial. Permitir que el Primer Ejecutivo influya directamente en la línea de mando de la Policía, una institución con poder coercitivo sobre la ciudadanía, abre la puerta al uso indebido del poder policiaco.
Status:
Firmado por el/la gobernador/a
Position:
Necesita enmiendas
House Bill 406
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Puerto Rico, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing civil and human rights, recommended amendments to House Bill 406, which sought to create the “Puerto Rico Police Act” in order to separate the police force from the Department of Public Safety (DSP, by its Spanish acronym). The ACLU of Puerto Rico warned that, without the amendment, the bill would empower the Governor to pre-approve the appointments of officers holding the ranks of Inspector, Commander, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel in the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, altering the distribution of power and undermining the Police Reform. Allowing the Chief Executive to directly influence the police chain of command, an institution that exercises coercive power over the public, opens the door to the misuse of police power.
Status:
Firmado por el/la gobernador/a
Stay Informed
Sign up to be the first to hear about how to take action.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.
