UNODC presents results of the fight against police corruption in Paraguay

Asunción, 11 March 2014 - The result of the "Evaluation of the institutional framework of the fight against corruption in the Paraguayan National Police" was released this month by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The report finds a high level of corruption in the police, in addition to lack of control and the need to hierarchize the agencies responsible for combating impunity.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of the Interior, Francisco José De Vargas, police officers, judicial officers, the National Anti-Corruption Secretariat (SENAC) and UNODC's senior advisor,  José Manuel Martinez.

The document covers issues related to the strengths and weaknesses of the National Police institutional framework and, at the same time, presents a number of suggestions to combat internal corruption and proposes a control system to improve transparency in police management.

Among the weaknesses found are specific aspects such as a lack of clear procedures, a lack of hierarchization of the Police Department of Internal Affairs and of human resources in investigative tasks, in addition to the need to improve the channels for receiving complaints and the need to establish an external oversight body.

After the presentation, Minister De Vargas said the evaluation results are "concrete, understandable and realistic," adding that, as the government's Minister of the Interior , he was committed to do what is necessary to change the current course of the police.

"This report is a reality and the implementation of its recommendations is a necessity," he said.

The full study is available to the National Police and SENAC so that they can articulate mechanisms in the fight against corruption and improve control over internal processes.

The evaluation was conducted as part of UNODC's National Integrated Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Security and Justice in Paraguay. 

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