Clerk’s murder uncovers lack of cops in Colonial Zone

Santo Domingo.-  Public safety in the Colonial Zone’s streets is  up to just one Tourism Police (Cestur) patrol, which must deal with numerous stretches of dark streets, dozens of homeless people and the din from the colmadones which frazzled inhabitants’ nerves.

Colonial City neighborhood board president Pedro del Castillo said the lack of security worries inhabitants, so he asked the National Police to increase patrols.

“Here the portfolio outbursts are not a secret. Security here is not very effective, because the institutions in charge do not have the necessary equipment to do an efficient job,” he said.

As an example Castillo said when a cruise ship arrives, the area is practically empty, because the police officers are moved to San port Souci and other areas.

“The National Police would like to do a good job, but it only has one vehicle for the Colonial Zone, but here a pickup truck is not effective for patrols, but motorcycles instead, because the streets are narrow and prevent rapid movement in case which require it. They really do what they can,” he said.

He stressed that the Colonial Zone has become a trend because the number of people who visit increases every day.

Fatal robbery

The complaint comes just days after a jewelry store robbery turned fatal in the Colonial Zone, as Police on Sun. announced the arrest of a suspect in the clerk’s murder.