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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 099-05
March 14, 2005

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG AND POLICE COMMISSIONER RAYMOND W. KELLY ANNOUNCE NYPD LIAISON FOR DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly and Dominican Republic Interior Secretary Franklin Almeyda Rancier today announced the establishment of an NYPD police liaison in Santo Domingo to help combat narcotics trafficking and other issues of mutual concern to New York City and the Dominican Republic.  The announcement at One Police Plaza follows a meeting last week between the Mayor and Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez when they discussed the historic agreement.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of the first NYPD liaison to the Dominican Republic,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “The NYPD has assigned Intelligence Division officers in many countries overseas as part of their counter-terrorism efforts, and posting an officer in Santo Domingo dedicated to narcotics trafficking will help the department in fighting drug crimes in the same way.  I would like to thank President Fernandez and Dr. Almeyda Rancier for their dedication, and I am confident that this agreement and our ongoing cooperation in other law enforcement efforts will benefit both New York City and the Dominican Republic.”

“With this agreement, the NYPD now has a presence in seven strategically important cities around the world in our ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and conventional crime,” said Commissioner Kelly.

Sergeant John Tavarez of the NYPD’s Intelligence Division began work in the offices of the Secretary for the Interior and Police in Santo Domingo on March 10, serving as liaison for narcotics investigations, gangs, criminal intelligence, internal affairs, and academic training. His is the seventh member of the NYPD's Intelligence Division to be assigned overseas. Other officers are posted in London, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Montreal, Toronto and Lyon, at Interpol Headquarters there.  The detectives in these cities are assigned primarily to counter terrorism intelligence. 

The National Police of the Dominican Republic reports to Dr. Almeyda Rancier. In enacting a number law enforcement reforms in the Dominican Republic, Dr. Almeyda Rancier has sought the NYPD’s assistance in developing an effective internal affairs function and new academic and training programs for police. In addition, earlier this year, the Police Department's Chief of Internal Affairs, Charles Campisi, participated at a conference the in Dominican Republic concerning anti-corruption strategies.







MEDIA CONTACT:


Edward Skyler / Robert Lawson   (212) 788-2958



GENERAL CONTACT:

Paul Browne   (Police Department)
(646) 610-6700


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