Cruz Cruz removed as National Police chief after six months amid internal friction

Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz's tenure as Director General of the National Police ended abruptly after just six months, with President Luis Abinader issuing a decree to replace him with Major General Ernesto Rafael Rodríguez García. The official decree, 558-26, did not specify the reasons for Cruz Cruz's removal.

However, sources within the institution suggest his departure was linked to his leadership approach. Insiders indicated that Cruz Cruz attempted to govern with a rigid, uncompromising style that created distance from parts of the hierarchy he was meant to lead. This approach, while not a lack of authority, reportedly strained relationships and reduced necessary dialogue within the highly structured organization.

His tenure was marked by several challenging incidents that placed the police force under intense public scrutiny. These included the death of a citizen in custody in San Cristóbal, an investigation into the alleged disappearance of seized drug packages in Haina, and the shooting death of Darlin Mercado by an officer in Herrera. A recent incident during a 48-hour strike in Navarrete, Santiago province, where shots were fired near Cruz Cruz's convoy, further heightened pressure, despite the police denying the shots were aimed at him.

In his farewell message to officers, Cruz Cruz urged them to "not stop fighting for what is right, even if it costs you your position. Integrity requires character." He also reiterated that citizen security is a state obligation, not a concession from the police.