NEW YORK.- While Capt. Fausto Pichardo commands the 33rd Precinct, one of Manhattan’s three major police stations, the number of Dominicans officers and of Dominican origin in the New York Police Department (NYPD) continues rising, as evidenced by last week’s promotions of various ranks headed by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
Until 1993 Latino agents were just 14% of the 35,000-strong force, but now account for 26%, mostly from Dominican Republic or Dominican origins.
In two separate ceremonies, dozens of Hispanic police agents were promoted to the ranks of sergeants, lieutenants, captains and detectives.
One of the new captains is Reymundo Mundo, son of a Dominican- Puerto Rican couple, who says he’s starting to realize his dream of a promotion in the NYPD since he joined the largest police force in the U.S.