The Haitian National Police launched on Friday, January 27, 2023 the operation TORNADE 1 in order to bring an urgent response to the armed gangs that terrorize its agents and the population. In this sense, the PNH has promised to reinforce the police stations with logistical means, weapons and ammunition.
The Director General a.i. of the Haitian National Police Frantz Elbé came out of his silence about 72 hours after the serial deaths of officers of the security institution in the exercise of their duties. More than a dozen police officers have perished in recent days under the murderous bullets of bandits in downtown Port-au-Prince, Pétion-Ville and Liancourt in the department of Artibonite. A situation that has touched the entire Haitian family and the great police family in the depths of their souls admits the number 1 of the PNH.
Faced with the revolt of the indignant police officers who demand better working conditions, Frantz Elbé calls on them to remain calm and avoid any form of slip-up that could have serious consequences on the institution. The commander in chief of the PNH says he recognizes the legitimacy of the police officers’ demand. To boost the morale of his angry officers, the Director General a.i. of the PNH has vowed to reinforce the various police stations with officers from specialized units, to provide heavy weapons and ammunition capable of responding to the firepower of the bandits.
Frantz Elbé also announced the launch of Operation Tornado 1 in order to bring a proportional response to the armed groups that have been terrorizing the country for too long. The criminals must pay for their acts committed against members of the population and against the police,” said the PNH’s Chief Commander.
Frantz Elbé counts on the collaboration of the population and the press to help the police institution achieve its goal.
Since the beginning of the year 2023, more than fifteen police officers have been killed in the line of duty. According to the latest report from the national human rights network, 78 police officers have already been killed since Prime Minister Ariel Henry took office on July 20, 2021. That’s an average of five police officers killed per month. Despite the various promises of the government of Ariel Henry to combat organized crime in the country, nothing has been done. Armed criminals continue to take ground and cause casualties in the ranks of the population and the national police.