Puert Rico, the home to Isla Verde, Old San Juan, Vieques, Culebra, beautiful beaches and great resorts is just 3 hours and 15 minutes by plane from New York. P.R. has some of the best golf courses in the Western Hemisphere. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , which is actually an unicorporated territory of the United States , has often been referred to as the 51st state . We've had some of our best and most memorable vacations there.
But all is not paradise on this island east of the Dominican Republic. In a scathing report regarding Puerto Rico's police force (the second largest in the United States)the Justice Department is accusing The Puerto Rico Police Department "of a profound and longstanding pattern of civil rights violations and other illegal practices that have left it broken in a number of critical and fundamental respects".
The Police Department's is accused of " systematically using deadly or excessive force when little or no force was necessary".Beatings seem to be handed out routinely, unarmed civilians have been murdered, corruption is widespread and misconduct is high. "More P.R.P.D. officers are involved in criminal activity than any other major law enforcement agency in the country".
It's shameful and fightening all at once. How could the residents of Puerto Rico feel safe, protected and secure, and confident that in a time of strife they will be properly taken care of. Answer-They can't!
The daunting task of overhauling the force and it's infra-structure falls in the lap of Governor Luis G. Fortuno. In response to this report he must act quickly, decisively and intelligently. No foot dragging will be tolerated.He can look for guidance to the L.A. Police Department which went from being a "rogue department " to a model police force.
All I can say Governor Fortuno, is it's best that you not waste time...Frankly, the Justice Department will have no patience with this crisis!
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