55 dead in clashes with Dominican Police in September
The Dominican National Police reported 55 deaths in alleged clashes during September, a month in which total homicides rose 34.4% compared with 2025.
55 deaths in police operations during September in Dominican Republic
The Dominican National Police recorded 55 deaths in alleged confrontations with officers during September, according to a report by prensa-latina.cu. The institution stated that the deceased were being sought through arrest warrants and were linked to criminal activities.
The deaths occurred in multiple locations across the country, including Verón-Punta Cana, Salcedo, Azua, Barahona, Duarte, Puerto Plata, Dajabón, the National District, San Pedro de Macorís, El Seibo, Espaillat, Samaná and Montecristi.
The police's monthly report recorded a total of 125 homicides, representing a 34.4 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2025. The authorities noted, however, that the accumulated annual rate remains at 7.35 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants and that the overall trend for the year is downward. Of that total, 42 murders—equivalent to 33.6 per cent—were associated with social conflicts.
The debate over the use of lethal force by officers intensified in recent days, following calls from various sectors of society questioning the deaths produced during the alleged confrontations. President Luis Abinader responded by urging people sought by justice to surrender voluntarily to the authorities.
Major General Ernesto Rodríguez García, director of the National Police, reported that the institution maintains a list of people considered recidivists, whose location will be prioritised to prevent further criminal activity.
During September, the Police also reported 168 wounded, a figure representing a 6.7 per cent reduction compared with the same month in 2025. In the same period, 1,476 arrest warrants were executed and 344 raids were carried out. In addition, 1,255 vehicles reported as stolen were recovered and 448 firearms were seized, of which 315—70.3 per cent—lacked legal documentation.
For its part, the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) reported 3,655 people detained and the seizure of approximately 854 kilogrammes of controlled substances during the past month.
Source: Google News DO — Crime