Months of bickering prompts authorities to work together

Santo Domingo.- Supreme Court chief justice Mariano German, Justice minister Francisco Dominguez, National Police chief Manuel Castro and Antinarcotics Agency (DNCD) director Julio César Souffront on Monday agreed to establish permanent coordination to bolster efficiency in criminal justice.

In a meeting at the Supreme Court building, the officials and German agreed that stricter coordination is needed for Dominican Republic’s criminal justice system to function properly.

The Chief Justice submitted a proposal aimed at strengthening inter-agency coordination and efficiency in criminal justice.

"If we want criminal justice to work we need to work in coordination and respect for the role that each of our areas must assume so that it functions properly. Therefore those of us here present must identify the problem and find alternatives which ensure the country’s legal certainty above all."

Bickering

The announcement comes after months of bickering among the National Police, the Justice Ministry and the Judicial Branch over lack of coordination that often leads to botched criminal cases and the release of felons.