HNP DG ANDRESOL ON HSI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000343 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR WHA/USOAS S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) INL FOR KBROWN E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KCRM HA SUBJECT: HNP DG ANDRESOL ON HSI PORT AU PR 00000343 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization John Herbst, accompanied by the Ambassador and WHA/CAR Director Nichols, met with Haitian National Police (HNP) Director General (DG) Mario Andresol February 8 to discuss the police portion of the new US $20 million stabilization initiative for Cite Soleil. Andresol cautioned that he did not expect the HNP and UN forces to establish adequate security for the Haiti Stabilization Inititave (HSI) to begin for at least two months. Andresol concurred on Herbst's proposal to establish three model police stations and to train and equip 80 HNP officers to operate in Cite Soleil. Andresol said HNP vetting continued and he expects up to 1,000 officers to be removed as a result. End Summary. -------------- Needs and Priorities -------------- ¶2. (C) To determine where the stabilization initiative can provide the most assistance, Ambassador Herbst focused his questions for DG Andresol on the priority needs of the Haitian National Police (HNP) and the obstacles to their re-entry into Cite Soleil. DG Andresol highlighted that his primary concern was the human resources to tackle Cite Soleil since the HNP has now been called upon to provide additional officers to Martissant. He also prioritized the rehabilitation or rebuilding of police stations, to include opportunities for HNP / UNPOL co-location, followed by the need to properly train and equip the officers to deal with the unique environment in Cite Soleil. ¶3. (C) He noted that though only three police stations and one sub-precinct station are needed immediately (located in Boston, Brooklyn, and Bois Neuf plus a sub-precinct at the entrance),the population density requires several more stations - three is the bare minimum to fully cover the zone. Andresol said categorically, "If we get Boston, the rest of Cite Soleil will fall." -------------- Roles and relationships of MINUSTAH and GOH -------------- ¶4. (C) Putting the police back into Cite Soleil requires strong support from MINUSTAH, since police forces are currently spread thin due to the increased pace of joint patrols in Martissant. Gang leadership must be neutralized and Andresol claimed that it is not likely others will rise to take their place since the population seems ready to move away from gang control and violence. He also emphasized that sending gang leaders into an effective justice system that did not release them back into the population would send a strong signal to the population that the tides are turning, but did not seem confident that the system was currently capable of handling this, particularly the penitentiary. By way of progress, he mentioned that a task force on gangs had been set up within the Ministry of Justice in the past two weeks to which he has seconded 12 police officers, suggesting that this might be a venue for dealing with broader gang issues. ¶5. (C) Andresol also remarked throughout the conversation that he currently had no direct relationship with the new force commander, and that joint patrols in Cite Soleil had stopped in the fall. ¶6. (SBU) In addition to the above needs, Andresol highlighted that the GOH also needs to play a role by building roads and cleaning canals to allow the police to do their job. -------------- Identifying and Training Officers -------------- ¶7. (C) There are 656 recruits are currently in training who will graduate in July. They will fill positions currently PORT AU PR 00000343 002.2 OF 002 held by other officers who can then rotate into positions requiring more extensive experience, including Cite Soleil. Andresol suggested pulling from within the ranks to find existing officers to send through a second round of vetting and specialized training that would focus on both community policing to gain the trust of the population and stability policing that would help them deal specifically with the situation in Cite Soleil. -------------- Vetting -------------- ¶8. (C) Andresol said that vetting is going well and is taking place parallel to the training. However if vetting is completed to the extent that the situation requires about 1000 police officers should be removed out of a total of 7,000. ¶9. (C) Comment: Andresol seemed relaxed and talked freely with the group about the needs and priorities of the police. It was clear he feels his actions are constrained by the Ministry of Justice, on up to President Preval and that he has many masters to serve. He was also frank about his status in Haiti after his term ends, saying that he would have to live in exile to stay alive. End Comment. SANDERSON