As felony rate falls, Dominican cops shift fight to ´rat crimes´

Santo Domingo.- NationalPolice spokesman Maximo Baez on Wednesday said the crime rate continues todecline for which the cops will focus on fighting larceny and “rat crimes,”which he affirms are still the citizens’ top concern.

"We are focused oncontinuing to work increasingly on those levels of common crime as the rates saythat we are taking direct steps," the official said.

Baez spoke during therelease of Interior and Police Ministry statistics that show a 6% fall inmurders from January to September, with 1,270 registered in that period.

The official said he regretsthe increasing number of deaths occurring amid the social life of the citizenry,“which law enforcment cannot prevent.”