Speaking to future members of the new National Police force, which comes into force in December and United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) delegates assembled at the Military Academy, Chavez made it clear that they will help lower and solve current crime levels that the majority of people consider unsupportable.

The new force must be loved and respected by the people and establish direct contact with the community and communal councils, the President said, and above all, the new officers must listen to people.

The President admitted that crime in Venezuela is a force to be reckoned with and current levels of delinquency are damaging the Bolivarian revolution. While prevention is a priority, Chavez insisted that if force has to be used, then it will be, especially against organized crime, paramilitaries and narco-traffickers.

PSUV delegates have been urged to debate and tackle the problem and for that purpose, an internal committee on crime has been set up to study crime and present recommendations to delegates and party chiefs. Moreover, Chavez suggested that each PSUV patrol set up a crime defense committee to deal with local crime threat and establish links with the police to fight the scourge. In that way, Chavez hopes, answers will be found to provide adequate protection to citizens and neutralize crime.

The President also ordered the police to raid and close down well-known centers, such as discotheques where drugs are openly distributed.

Leon Ramon Fernandez Delgado has been appointed the first director of the new National Police force which will officially start work on December 21 in Catia (Caracas). Of around 5,000 applicants, only 1,000 have been accepted and are ready for graduation.

Chavez praised the contribution of Cuban police authorities, who are part of the professional staff and quipped that US police chief, William Bratton had been brought in to Venezuela to organize the counter-revolution.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
news.editor@vheadline.com