Questions arise in Dominican Republic’s first ever Police ‘mutiny’

Santo Domingo.- The National Police on Wednesday revealed that 14 of its officers have been dispatched from the precinct at Dajabon to the northwest regional headquarters at nearby Mao, after refusing transfer orders over the weekend.

In the first confirmed police “mutiny” in the country’s history, the as yet-to be explained transfers reportedly stem from the arrest of Maj. Félix Aquino, who allegedly took part in a meeting with foreigners across the border in Haiti.

Among the 14 officers ordered out of Dajabón figure Capt. Mauro Veloz, who’s the commander of the police station at Partido, and Lt. Arsenio Medina, the commandant of the group of 73 who failed to follow orders and turned over their badges.

By midmorning Wednesday the police staff at Dajabón met with Col. Ivan Bello, after his return from Santo Domingo where he met with senior police officials to deal with the unprecedented insubordination, for which National Police chief Manuel Castro on Tuesday had announced unspecified reprimands levied against the “mutineers.”