Director of Panama National Police Speaks Out on Recent Crime Wave

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Director of Panama National Police Speaks Out on Recent Crime Wave

 September 13, 2024

Jaime Fernández, the director of the National Police, reported that those responsible for the robberies committed a few days ago in a pizzeria in Brisas del Golf, in a commercial premises of the Sheraton Hotel and in a bus on the David-Frontera route have already been identified.  Fernández referred specifically to these events, assuring that those responsible will be brought to justice very soon.  Fernández stressed that some of the criminals involved in the robberies could have links to organized crime networks and that efforts are being made to apprehend them. He stated that there is still information to be confirmed about the participation of these networks in some of the crimes mentioned.  The director also highlighted the importance of collaboration with the community and the private sector through programs such as “Vecinos Vigilantes” and “Comerciantes Vigilantes,” which allow the police to receive alerts in real time and intervene quickly.  He mentioned that this approach is also applied in the fight against gangs that operate mainly in San Miguelito, Panama and Colon.  On this subject, he explained that the figures handled by the entity reveal that 90% of the crimes committed are directly related to drug trafficking.  In this regard, he mentioned that the Police have identified the leaders of the gangs and that they are working together with the Public Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute all the information and bring the members of these criminal groups to court.  He stressed that in recent weeks there has been significant progress in the fight against gangs in the province of Colón, where a substantial reduction in homicides has been achieved.  Finally, he called for an increase in the police force, since around 600 uniformed officers will retire soon, which makes it necessary to renew and train these personnel. The police force has approximately 18,700 members.

https://newsroompanama.com/2024/09/13/the-director-of-the-panama-national-police-speaks-out-on-recent-crime-wave/