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.