Haiti: Protection provided by the police and effectiveness of the police, particularly in Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien, Jérémie, Les Cayes and Gonaïves (2014June 2015)

1. Services Provided by the Police

According to sources, the protection services provided by the PNH include:

Deployment of police officers throughout the region (Professor 28 Apr. 2015; POHDH 1 May 2015), to ensure the public's protection (ibid.);

Intervention and Maintenance of Order Corps (Corps d'intervention et de maintien de l'ordre, CIMO) (Radio télé Lakansyel 15 Feb. 2014; Haïtinews2000 n.d.; Professor 28 Apr. 2015);

Motorized intervention brigades (ibid.; HaïtiLibre 22 Sept. 2014; Le Nouvelliste 19 Sept. 2014), to counter [translation] "insecurity and banditry" (ibid.; HaïtiLibre 22 Sept. 2014);

Protection service for public figures (Professor 28 Apr. 2015; RNDDH 30 Apr. 2015), more specifically for [translation] "leaders or former leaders of the country," senators and deputies (ibid.);

Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (Direction centrale de la police judiciaire, DCPI), which conducts criminal investigations (AlterPresse 7 Apr. 2015; HPN 13 Mar. 2015).

1.1 PNH Numbers

Various sources published from January to March 2015 state that the PNH workforce is about 12,000 police officers (Haiti 22 Jan. 2015; Radio Métropole Haïti 23 Jan. 2015); according to sources, the numbers vary from 11,900 (UN 4 Mar. 2015, para. 18) to 12,200 (US 1 Feb. 2015).

In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, an associate professor of political science at the University of Ottawa who has been conducting research on Haiti for about a decade, including in the field, on issues that include the reform of security agencies, stated that the police population in the department of the South, which includes Les Cayes, was 240 officers in February 2015 (28 Apr. 2015). Corroborating information or further information on the PNH population in the other regions of the country could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.2 Gender Based Violence (GBV) Offices

According to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti, MINUSTAH), the United Nations Police (UNPol) in Haiti has had a Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) team since 2010; the team projects, funded by Norway, involve providing training to PNH police officers on SGBV and building [UN English version] "GBV offices" in the PNH police stations "of major cities" to provide assistance to female victims of violence (UN 7 Mar. 2014). The GBV Team Leader, interviewed by MINUSTAH, stated that by March 2014, UNPol had trained 972 police officers, including 35 instructors (17 women) (ibid.). The training taught [UN English version] "the basic concepts of treating violence based on gender, the care and support of a victim of sexual violence, investigative techniques to find the perpetrator, etc." (ibid.). MINUSTAH adds that in March 2014, 10 Haitian police stations had an "SGBV office"; including Port-au-Prince, Cap-Haïtien (since November 2012), Les Cayes and Les Gonaïves, while the SGBV office in the police station in Jérémie was under construction (ibid.). According to a calendar of activities promoting human rights from the end of November to the start of December 2014, published by the Haitian news website HaïtiLibre, the SGBV office in Jérémie was supposed to open on 26 November 2014 (HaïtiLibre n.d.). Corroborating information on the SGBV office in Jérémie could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

1.3 Bicycle Brigade

According to the Embassy of Canada in Haiti, since June 2013 the PNH has had a new specialized unit, [Canada English version] "the bicycle brigade"; the officers have been trained by Canadian police officers assigned to UNPol (Canada 20 Dec. 2013). The goal of the bicycle brigade is [Canada English version] "to reach out to the population to better serve and protect the people," as bicycles give access to sectors that are difficult for vehicles to access and make the police officers "more visible and approachable" (ibid.). According to sources, the city of Les Cayes has had a bicycle brigade (ibid.; Haïti actualités 21 Nov. 2013), since November 2013, and was the second city after Port-au-Prince to have such a brigade (ibid.). An article published in July 2014 by HaïtiLibre lists Les Gonaïves and Cap-Haïtien among the nine communes that have a bicycle brigade and states that 66 PNH officers patrol on bicycle (19 July 2014). According to MINUSTAH, the bicycle brigade in Les Gonaïves was launched on 26 February 2014 (UN 26 Feb. 2014).

2. Effectiveness of the Police

A Report to Congress from the Office of the Haiti Special Coordinator of the US Department of State in February 2015 states that

[t]he growth and improved professionalism of the Haitian National Police (HNP) are significant achievements in the post-earthquake period. The police […] improved their ability to restore order and control crowds, and increased their capacity in investigations, leading to a pronounced reduction in kidnappings (US 1 Feb. 2015).

Similarly, in a report on MINUSTAH published in March 2015, the UN Secretary-General states that the PNH [UN English version] "has improved its capacity and professionalism, notably in the areas of crime prevention and crowd control" (UN 4 Mar. 2015, para. 17). It states however that MINUSTAH police and military components provided assistance to the PNH to ensure the population's security and safety (ibid., para. 14). In addition, the UN Secretary-General notes an increase in the number of homicides during the period covered by the report from 1 September 2014 to 1 March 2015 compared with the same period one year earlier-the number went from 499 to 538 (ibid., para. 11). He adds that 80 percent of those homicides result from "gang violence […] in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince" (ibid.).

In its 2014 report on Haiti, Human Rights Watch states that [Human Rights Watch English version] "[t]he weak capacity of the Haitian National Police (HNP) contributes to overall insecurity in the country" (Jan. 2015, 2). Similarly, according to the Associate Professor, despite the progress indicated by the UN Secretary-General in his March 2015 report, the report [translation] "suggests that the PNH is not yet able to protect most of the citizens" (Professor 28 Apr. 2015). The Associate Professor is of the opinion that it is [translation] "difficult to accurately identify the quality of the protection services provided by the PNH" (ibid.).

During a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, the Executive Director of the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), an organization in Boston that collaborates with Haitian organizations to collect, among other things, information on human rights violations (IJDH n.d.), stated that the Haitian public had the impression that the police was not "doing a … good job" (IJDH 1 May 2015). According to the AmericasBarometer opinion survey for 2014, published by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) at the Vanderbilt University, 38.6 percent of respondents in Haiti are satisfied with police operations in their neighbourhood, and 57.9 percent have confidence in the PNH (Layton et al. Dec. 2014, 77, 86).

In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, the Director of the National Human Rights Defence Network (Réseau national de défense des droits humains, RNDDH), an organization in Port-au-Prince that contributes to [RHDDH English version] "the establishment of the rule of law in Haiti" (RNDDH n.d.), notes the involvement of police officers [translation] "in human rights violations" while "repressing" protests or arresting suspects and in acts of corruption (RNDDH 30 Apr. 2015). In an article in the Le Nouvelliste newspaper in March 2015, the PNH General Inspection (Inspection générale de la PNH, IGPNH), the controlling body of the PNH, states that 97 police officers had been dismissed [translation] "for various reasons" in 2014, including "23 […] for misappropriation of funds, eight for drug trafficking, seven for theft, nine for kidnapping, 10 for homicide, six for corruption and four for murder" (19 Mar. 2015). Further information on these dismissals could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

Sources report a [translation] "politicization" of the PNH (POHDH 1 May 2015; RNDDH 30 Apr. 2015; IJDH 1 May 2015). The Executive Director of the IJDH stated that police officers are under political pressure to make or not make arrests of certain persons (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

2.1 Police Officer/Inhabitant Ratio

During a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Platform of Haitian Human Rights Organizations (Plate-forme des organisations haïtiennes des droits humains, POHDH), a group of eight Haitian human rights associations (POHDH n.d.), identified the low police-to-population ratio as one of the factors explaining the ineffectiveness of the PNH (ibid. 1 May 2015). Similarly, the Director of RNDDH explains that the protection offered by the police is [translation] "not effective," by reason of "the lack of officers in the field" (RNDDH 30 Apr. 2015). He notes that the PNH has a police-to-population ratio of one officer per more than 900 inhabitants (ibid.). For reference purposes, according to an article published by Radio-Canada in March 2015, the Canadian police-to-population ratio is about one officer per 500 inhabitants (30 Mar. 2015). According to the United Nations, the PNH should have an overall police-to-population ratio of 2.22 officers per 1,000 inhabitants [one officer per 450 inhabitants] to assume its duties (UN 29 Aug. 2014, para. 28).

Sources note strong inequality in the distribution of police officers (ibid.; Professor 28 Apr. 2015; RNDDH 30 Apr. 2015). According to the Director of RNDDH, over 50 percent of PNH officers are stationed in the metropolitan region of the West department, where Port-au-Prince is located (ibid.). The UN Secretary-General states in a report on MINUSTAH, published in August 2014, that two thirds of the PNH officers are in the capital (UN 29 Aug. 2014, para. 28). According to the POHDH representative, the low police-to-population ratio in Haiti is [translation] "more pronounced in the provinces," including in Les Cayes, Gonaïves, Cap-Haïtien and Jérémie (POHDH 1 May 2015). The POHDH representative illustrated this by giving the example of a lawyer who was being threatened in Jérémie and who had not received protection (ibid.). Similarly, the cardinal in Les Cayes denounced the lack of police protection towards nuns and priests in his region who had faced "a growing number" of attacks (CNS 13 Mar. 2015). He stated in particular that "[t]he police are not doing their job, and the number of police officers is totally inadequate for the region's security" (ibid.).

2.2 Measures Available to the Police

According to the POHDH representative, the difficulty in identifying individuals (some Haitians have no identification documents), the lack of equipment (for example, cars, firearms and tear gas) and a lack of training are among the factors impeding the work of the PNH (1 May 2015). The RNDDH Director identifies [translation] "the officers' difficult working conditions," without specifying the nature, among the problems of the PNH (30 Apr. 2015). The POHDH representative also stated that, because of a problem of infrastructure, the police are unable to circulate by car or by motorcycle in certain neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince (POHDH 1 May 2015). Furthermore, in the provinces [translation] "it can take the PNH three to four hours to access a zone [requiring police intervention]" (ibid.). The Executive Director of the IJDH also noted the slow response time by the police officers (1 May 2015). The Archbishop of Port-au-Prince criticized the police officers for the same reason with respect to the attacks against religious communities between November 2014 and March 2015 (Miami Herald 30 Mar. 2015).

2.3 Police Investigations and Protection Measures

In its 20142015 report on Haiti, Amnesty International (AI) notes that [AI English version] "[s]everal human rights defenders were attacked, threatened and harassed" and that "[i]n the vast majority of cases, the authorities failed to carry out thorough and prompt investigations or to provide effective protection measures" (AI 2015). In a document published in 2014, AI cites the example of members of the Support Group for Development in the South (Groupe d'appui au développement du Sud, GADES), a human rights organization in Les Cayes, who received threats (ibid. 4 Aug. 2014). Similarly, Human Rights Watch cites the example of a leader of a women's rights organization (Komisyon Fanm Viktim Pou Victim, KOFAVIV) who reported to police in May 2014 that she had received death threats; according to her, she received no protection from police, there was no [Human Rights Watch English version] "further investigation" and the police encouraged her to leave the country (Human Rights Watch Jan. 2015, 34). In June 2014, AI issued a press release calling on the Haitian authorities to provide "effective protection" to the members of KOFAVIV who had been threatened (AI 13 June 2014).

According to the Executive Director of IJDH, the PNH is doing "a fairly good job" gathering statements from rape victims and filling out reports, but it is "not good at" conducting investigations (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. An article published by MINUSTAH in March 2014 cites the testimony of a police officer who provides training in gender-based violence to police officers and who has noted a significantly increased number of complaints from victims of this type of violence in Cap-Haïtien since the opening of the GBV office (UN 7 Mar. 2014). However, a police officer interviewed by Le Nouvelliste in January 2014 states that he is of the opinion that the GBV office in Port-au-Prince where he works is inadequately equipped, which explains its inefficiency (16 Jan. 2014). Further information on the effectiveness of the GBV offices could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

AlterPresse. 7 April 2015. "Haïti-Média : Enquête ouverte sur le décès par balles de l'animateur de radio Marc Elie Pierre." [Accessed 26 May 2015]

Amnesty International (AI). 2015. "Haïti." Amnesty International - Rapport 2014/2015 : la situation des droits humains dans le monde. [Accessed 10 June 2015]

_____. 4 August 2014. Haïti : Des militantes luttant pour obtenir justice menacées. (AMR 36/011/2014) [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

_____ . 13 June 2014. "Haïti : Des défenseures des droits des femmes menacées". (AMR 36/010/2014) [Accessed 27 May 2015]

Associate professor of Political Science, University of Ottawa. 28 April 2015. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate.

Canada. 20 December 2013. Embassy of Canada in Haiti. "Des policiers communautaires à vélo pour se rapprocher de la population." [Accessed 12 May 2015]

Catholic News Service (CNS). 13 March 2015. Dennis Sadowski. "Haitian Cardinal Wants Police to Boost Security for Country's Religious." [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

Haiti. 22 January 2015. Primature, Bureau de la communication. "Le premier ministre Evans Paul salue la sortie de la 25e promotion de la PNH". [Accessed 26 May 2015]

Haïti actualités. 21 November 2013. Widshell Augustin. "Lancement officiel de la Brigade à vélo de la PNH (BV-PNH) aux Cayes." [Accessed 11 May 2015]

HaïtiLibre. 22 September 2014. "Haïti - Sécurité : Nouvelles mesures de la PNH, pour lutter contre l'insécurité." [Accessed 26 May 2015]

_____. 19 July 2014. "Haïti - Sécurité : Premier anniversaire de la brigade à vélo de la PNH." [Accessed 11 May 2015]

_____. N.d. Calendrier des activités à l'occasion de la Journée 25 Novembre 2014 et des 16 jours d'activisme. [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

Haitinews2000. N.d. "Haïti : CIMO, 18 ans au service de la population haïtienne." [Accessed 26 May 2015]

Haiti Press Network (HPN). 13 March 2015. "Haïti-RD-Meurtre : La police haïtienne enquête en République dominicaine." [Accessed 26 May 2015]

Human Rights Watch. January 2015. "Haïti." Rapport mondial 2015 : évènements de 2014. [Accessed 23 Apr. 2015]

Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH). 1 May 2015. Telephone interview with the Executive Director.

_____. N.d. "About." [Accessed 10 June 2015]

Layton, Matthew, Mariana Rodríguez, Mason Moseley and Daniel Zizumbo-Colunga. December 2014. "Citizen Security, Evaluations of the State, and Policy Preferences." The Political Culture of Democracy in the Americas, 2014: Democratic Governance Across 10 Years of the AmericasBarometer. Edited by Elizabeth J. Zechmeister. Nashville, Tennessee: Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), Vanderbilt University. [Accessed 27 May 2015]

Miami Herald. 30 March 2015. Jacqueline Charles. "Catholic Nuns Target of Violence in Haiti." [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

Le Nouvelliste. 19 March 2015. Bertrand Marcéus. "814 policiers révoqués de la PNH en 2014, 806 sont morts de 1995 à nos jours." [Accessed 26 May 2015]

_____. 19 September 2014. Bertrand Marcéus. "La PNH se prépare à reprendra le contrôle du centre-ville." [Accessed 26 May 2015]

_____. 16 January 2014. Edrid St Juste. "Peu d'engagements pour punir le viol." [Accessed 16 May 2015]

Plate-forme des organisations haïtiennes des droits humains (POHDH). 1 May 2015. Telephone interview with a representative.

_____ . N.d. "Présentation de la POHDH." [Accessed 27 May 2015]

Radio-Canada. 30 March 2015. "Un policier pour 500 citoyens au pays." [Accessed 19 May 2015]

Radio métropole Haïti. 23 January 2015. "La PNH franchit la barre des 12 000 policiers." [Accessed 19 May 2015]

Radio télé Lakansyel. 15 February 2014. "Un nouveau jour et de nouvelles perspectives pour le CIMO." [Accessed 26 May 2015]

Réseau national de défense des droits humains (RNDDH). 30 April 2015. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate from a Director.

_____. N.d. "Objectif global." [Accessed 27 May 2015]

United Nations. 4 March 2015. Security Council. Rapport du secrétaire général sur la Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti. (S/2015/157) [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

_____ . 29 August 2014. Security Council. Rapport du secrétaire général sur la Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti. (S/2014/617) [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

_____. 7 March 2014. United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). "Haïti : Des UNPols norvégiens et canadiens au secours des femmes victimes de violences." [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

_____. 26 February 2014. United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). "La brigade à vélo s'installe dans l'Artibonite." [Accessed 11 May 2015]

United States (US). 1 February 2015. Department of State, Office of the Haiti Special Coordinator. Report to Congress: Haiti Strategy Update. [Accessed 24 Apr. 2015]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: The following person was unable to provide information: Associate Professor of Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo.

The following organization was unable to provide information within the time constraints: United Nations - United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

Attempts to contact the following organizations within the time constraints were unsuccessful: Haiti - Direction générale de la Police nationale, Inspection générale de la Police nationale.

Internet sites, including: Center for International Governance Innovation; Centre de recherche sur les droits de l'homme et le droit humanitaire; Collectif Haïti de France; ecoi.net; Factiva; Freedom House; Haiti - Académie nationale de police, ministère de la Justice et de la Sécurité publique, Primature; International Crisis Group; Interpol; Organization of American States; Radio France internationale; Radio télévision Caraïbes; United Nations - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Development Program, Refworld, ReliefWeb.