This is a boost in the ongoing operation against criminal gangs terrorising locals, officials said.
Police officers in the team also said the arrival of troops from Guatemala and El Salvador to reinforce a long-delayed United Nations-backed mission tasked with restoring security amid a bloody conflict with armed gangs is a boost.
“This will help in managing some exposed and
vulnerable areas and enhance operations,” said an officer in the team.
Multinational Security Support (MSS) Force Commander Godfrey Otunge said this is a huge step forward in their mission.
“Having more personnel on the ground will help in many ways. We are happy for this milestone,” he said.
The National Police Academy in Haiti, once under threat from the notorious Kraze Baryè gang led by Vitel’Homme Innocent successfully reopened and celebrated a milestone event.
Despite fears that the academy might remain closed indefinitely due to gang control in the surrounding area, a bold decision by Director General of the Haitian National Police Normil Rameau and Multinational Security Support (MSS) Force Commander Godfrey Otunge led to its reopening in July 2024.
They established the first MSS Forward Operating Base (FOB) at the academy, paving the way for the training of a new batch of officers.
On Friday, January 10, 2025, the academy held a spectacular passing-out parade for 739 newly trained officers, including 213 women.
These officers had undergone rigorous training since August 2024 and the event was a powerful symbol of resilience and progress, officials said.
Although there were initial attempts by gangs to disrupt the ceremony, with isolated gunfire reported far from the academy, specialized units of the HNP and MSS swiftly neutralized the situation.
The Chief Guest for the graduation of the 34th HNP class, named “Vertières,” was Leslie Voltaire, President of the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC).
Other notable dignitaries included Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, Minister of Justice and Public Security Patrick Pélissier, Rameau, Otunge, Maria Isabel Salvador, Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, and Ambassadors Dennis B. Hankins (USA) and André François Giroux (Canada)
Voltaire emphasized that the graduation of the officers symbolizes the government’s commitment to restoring security in Haiti and creating conditions conducive to holding a national referendum and elections.
Plans are to train and retrain more officers for deployment in their mission.
The Director of the National Police School Sem Prédestin, highlighted the comprehensive training the recruits received to address current challenges.
Rameau reminded them of their duty to combat insecurity and acknowledged the vital role of the MSS Kenya contingent in supporting the academy.
The new officers are expected to join special units within the HNP to strengthen and enhance police operations.
This development is a significant boost in the fight against gang violence.
The MSS also plans to establish new FOBs in the two most affected regions, further consolidating efforts to restore law and order in Haiti.
The team also said the posting of their former police boss Noor Gabow as Kenya’s Consul-General to Haiti will help address their demands.
Gabow is expected to fly to Haiti before the end of January with a slim team ahead of deployment of dozens more.
A contingent of security forces from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Haiti's capital on January 3 and 4.
A first group of 75 soldiers arrived on Friday
and another 75 on Saturday, all drafted from the military police, according to
Guatemala's government.
The others were eight Salvadorans.
A state of emergency has been in place across the Caribbean nation for months
as the government battles violent gangs that have taken control of much of the
capital Port-au-Prince.
The mission is being led by Kenya, which
deployed nearly 400 police in the middle of last year, fell short of the 1,000 officers it had promised.
The police were later joined by 24 Jamaican personnel and two senior officers
from Belize.
The forces are in Haiti to boost a United Nations-backed security mission led
by Kenya that has so far failed to prevent violence from escalating.
This was the first tranche of a UN-approved international force that will be made up of 2,500 officers from various countries..
