Haiti/Security: Two Months of Vladimir Paraison Leading the Haitian National Police Under Criticism

Nearly two months after Vladimir Paraison's appointment as Director General of the Haitian National Police (HNP), his record is divisive and raises serious concerns. Two organizations, Rescapés pour l’Avenir (REA) and Mouvement pour la Sauvegarde de la Démocratie (MSD), are quick to criticize his management. In a joint political statement released this Thursday, October 2, 2025, these organizations present a severe assessment of Paraison's management, citing an « institutional purge » and « security paralysis » in a context marked by the continuous rise of insecurity. According to the document signed by Me Tarly Guirand, executive coordinator of REA, and Mr. Lickel Pierre, president of MSD, the new Director General of the HNP has carried out a series of targeted replacements at the top of the institution. Several experienced high-ranking officers were reportedly sidelined in favor of individuals known to be close to former President Michel Martelly. This practice, the two organizations denounce, weakens the chain of command and calls into question the republican neutrality of the police. On the operational front, the statement notes the absence of tangible results against armed groups. No large-scale operations have been conducted in the main hotspots of violence such as Cité Soleil, Martissant, Croix-des-Bouquets, Bel-Air, or Torcel. The sporadic interventions organized by the HNP have resulted in a heavy toll, with more than a dozen police officers assassinated or wounded and several armored vehicles set on fire. The situation is aggravated by a coordination deemed non-existent between the HNP, the Haitian Armed Forces, the Multinational Security Mission, and the mercenaries hired by the government of Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. The lack of synergy among these different entities leaves critical areas abandoned to gangs and fuels the population's feeling of abandonment. In this climate of mistrust, the population questions the new Director General's real ability to steer the course. The Transitional Presidential Council, which had invested him in office and expected concrete results before September 30, might remain unsatisfied due to the absence of a clear and visible strategy. Promises of reinforced operations have not been followed by concrete actions, and no plan for unit redeployment, use of new technologies, or increased protection for police officers has been announced. Facing what they describe as an authoritarian and clientelist drift, REA and MSD demand the immediate implementation of a national strategic plan against armed groups, the restoration of a chain of command based on competence and integrity, as well as full transparency regarding the commitments of the Multinational Mission and foreign mercenaries. « The Republic is in peril. Citizen security cannot wait, » warn the two organizations, urging authorities to act with responsibility, courage, and impartiality. The Editorial Staff