Firearm Ownership

Hello lennoxnev,

Thank you for sharing this information with us. 

Cheers,

Cheryl
Expat.com team.

Yes, my informants tell me too that ...maybe...at some stage....in the future, the gun laws will be enforced as well as all the other laws.  They say its 'confirmed'.   And they also say, "hecha la ley, hecha la trampa".

This rhymes with the land value update exemptions....

Update your values for only 2% fee
Save 25% capital gains down the road

Come clean, get legal and life will be easy

Reset the values!   Often not about coming clean but rather being accurate.

I am resetting some if the values in one of my companies.  It can be a big deal but also can have other tax consequences!

Mathematics......
update the value and pay the applicable taxes yearly
or
pay 25% cap gains at the end of the day

The process of updating and declaring is ridiculous here!   Seriously messed up system honey!

I just did it..... not that hard
Used a lawyer who sent the appraiser

Mind you - just property.... land & bldgs
Nnot hard to asses

***

The changes in law were posted by Lennox who adds great value to these forums!

Censored again. This is really a 'rose-tinted glasses' group. Amazing.

Following

There are  a set of rules for  a reason. Abide by them or leave please.  Simple. Its not my site - its privately owned. I only moderate and the final  decisions are not mine but I do influence them at times.

Minister of the Interior and Police announces plan to disarm the population

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … -poblacion

The Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús Vásquez, said that this entity legalized thousands of firearms in recent years, despite the fact that importation has been prohibited since 2006.

He specified that 238,000 firearms are registered in the Ministry of the Interior and Police, but only 50,000 people are those who renew their licenses each year.

He reported that in the next few days they will give a grace for citizens to renew their permit and warned that those who do not catch up within the term granted, their firearms will be seized.

He expressed concern about the amount of illegal weapons in the population that are used to commit crimes, for which he asked the media for collaboration to raise awareness about the need for disarmament in the population.

He indicated that they will carry out a consultation with the purpose of developing a campaign to exchange firearms for some object, which they have not yet determined, in order to build a more peaceful society.

In that sense, he announced that they will elaborate a protocol in which they will establish more rigid requirements to obtain the license for the carriage and ensure that only those who meet the conditions obtain these artifacts.

He pointed out that in the next few days they will put into operation a technological system to not only make services more efficient, but also to put an end to the mafia structures that operated in the Ministry.

The Minister of the Interior and Police spoke during a press conference held by the zoom platform, in which he detailed the achievements of his administration and announced the measures that he will present to President Luis Abinader to be included in the Strategic Plan for Citizen Security.

Well this is interesting, was not expecting this and had no idea so few seem to be legal!

Suggestions for the gun exchange program? 

One hand gun = one night a week in a cabana for 3 months.

One hand gun = 10,000 Rd credit at the colmados.

One hand gun = weekend at the resort for 2 adults and 2 children

More creative ideas???

What was happening to the 188,000 who had registered their firearms but not renenewed their licences. A police mafia - a nod and a wink and a tip and you are ok!

Well I guess those poeple bettter get themselves up to date before things get much tougher to own and carry a firearm and they may be the targets for giving up firerams for something.

There will be push back for sure, but with the new law and very tough penalties for illegal ownership and use, this Minister is playing his cards from a position of strength.

Chú Vásquez reiterates great concern about the number of illegal weapons in the country

https://noticiassin.com/chu-vasquez-rei … n-el-pais/

The Minister of the Interior and Police, Jesús Vásquez Martínez, reiterated that in the next few days that institution will grant a grace so that citizens who have not paid for the permit to carry and possess firearms to bring them up to date , warning that if they do not comply with this tax, they will initiate a "house to house" seizure operation.

"We are concerned about the people who are hit with firearms, because they are human beings, they are Dominicans who lose their lives with firearms, that it is society that values ​​the effort we are making from the ministry to avoid these misfortunes" said Vasquez.

Quote from the Presidents speech just now:

No citizen, in any part of the world can be free if he does not feel safe. And insecurity affects thousands of Dominicans, to the point that 77% consider it their main concern.

The problem is the result of many factors and needs a comprehensive response, but I anticipate that we will not be able to reduce the number of homicides we suffer, without a significant disarmament of the population, which we must confront.

I want you to know that this president is determined to make the Dominican Republic a safe country.

And to achieve this, one of my main objectives is to get drugs off the streets of our country.

Keep it simple,1 gun = x amount of pesos

And if someone offers X + 100 then what?   The whole buyback has to have a hook and a serious consequence if not done.

All I know is the buy back program works well in New York and your telling me it couldn't work in a developing country?

Planner,a person brings an unregistered gun to a City/government specified place,no questions asked and gets x amount of money.Thats how works  in NY,which was started by a Dom/Amer.I think most people anywhere would rather have the money 💰

I am not saying it won't work.  I am asking the question: if the govt will give for example 10,000 Rd for a handgun, unregistered yet they can sell it on the street for 15,000 Rd ..... What do you think will happen? 

My point is it needs to be well thought out.  And do not assume because it works in NY it will work here.  Big mistake. 

Maybe it will and maybe it won't. 

I sincerely hope whatever they do works incredibly well!

Let's start with the renewal of licences.

If a proportion of those that haven't been renewing don't, then they get traced and lose their firearm for nought.

There will be those that grumble on the tough requirements annually so they either buy into some buyback or risk the loss for nought.

And next stage is as indicated to make it even harder to be a legal firearm owner, so even more my think it no longer worth it.

That leaves the criminal element who own illegally come what may. This comes down to law enforcement, police awareness of the dilinquents and the risk of the very heavy penalties for illegal ownership and gun use.

If this government is really focused on reducing crime and drug criminality it can be on the right track to reduce gun ownership.

My personal view is that a gun is not going to protect an expat from the criminal elements here if you get in their cross hairs. Here, criminals don't ask questions and shoot first with little reason..

You can say that in NY that they could get a better offer also ,this is quicker and easier ,you offer a descent amount it works.ps- you like playing the devil's advocate or you always like disagreeing with me.jaja

Yes,but how many guns are just illegal,never been registered.thats why I think buy back programs help.

Tass I don't play or not play devil's advocate with anyone.  I do however always state my opinion. 

Lennox I agree.  Things should get tough for those with firearms.  Owning isn't a right here for anyone.  Follow the rules, qualify for gun ownership and file ownership as required.

Great point about the criminals needing little reason to use firearms.

I understand what is being proposed by the government, but the underlying premise is fundamentally incorrect. 

In jurisdiction after jurisdiction around the world, crime (including violent crime) typically goes UP after private firearms ownership is reduced or eliminated. 

Conversely,  jurisdictions that expand firearms ownership by private citizens, especially via concealed carry, usually see drastic reductions in crime, and most especially violent crime. 

That is not to say that gun ownership by criminals is a good thing -- clearly it isn't.  Every government should act strongly to remove firearms from the hands of criminals. 

That is the thing about concealed carry laws -- law-abiding citizens typically pass detailed background checks and must prove competence in a handling/firing drill, usually supervised by law enforcement.   Criminals don't do any of that...but still have guns. 

No matter what the public laws are, many criminals will obtain and retain firearms...guns are simply a tool of their trade, enabling them to more easily enforce their will upon others.   Indeed, criminals truly LOVE bans on firearms -- it reduces risks to the criminal in every scenario.

There are costs and risks to criminals using illegal firearms--but those costs/risks continue in spite of laws.  Meanwhile, the costs and risks to law-abiding citizens are far, far higher when those citizens are disarmed.

Plenty of data and studies are  available to support all I stated herein.  If anyone is interested, I'd be glad to post or PM the studies. 

I'm not trying to argue, I'm simply presenting honest facts that the media and some politicians find inconvenient and hence ignore. 

Respectfully,

Jim
ExpatRusher

Thanks for the info!

Oh boy....a gun debate. So, the alternative is to arm everyone. That's working our great for <insert you know what country here>.

And I am going to let this run.  As long as this does not get personal or mean.... have at it.

Another reason not to have a firearam in DR....you become a prime target for delinquents to get what is a very expensive item here:

Criminals stole 365 firearms in 2020

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … PJ24785183

A total of 365 firearms were stolen in the Dominican Republic last year 2020, according to data from the Department of Statistics and Cartography of the National Police (PN) on "Theft of Firearms by Province 2020".

According to these data posted on the PN Web Portal, six localities in the country have a relative representation of 65% (237 stolen weapons) of these robberies in this period under analysis.

These localities are Santo Domingo, with 108 (rounded 30%) of the total number of firearms stolen last year; followed by the National District, with 45 (12.33%); San Cristóbal, with 27 (7.4%); La Altagracia province, with 27 (7.4%); Duarte province, with 17 (5%), and Azua, with 13 (4%).

The Department of Statistics and Cartography of the PN, by classification of stolen firearms, only shows on its web portal the record of the last semester of 2020 (July-December 200), where it shows that 122 pistols were stolen; 27 shotguns; 19 revolver, and no rifle.

Recently, the Ministry of the Interior and Police reported that there are 238,000 firearms registered in the country, of which only 50,000 people renew their licenses each year.

Wow

They toughen processes for the acquisition and transfer of firearms in the DR

Ministry of the Interior and Police reopens the Directorate of Arms with new guidelines

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … CF25022055

The Ministry of the Interior and Police (MIP) reopened the Arms Directorate on Monday, which had been closed since last December due to "the irregularities detected in that unit" by Minister Jesús Vásquez Martínez (Chu), and established new requirements that toughen the law. acquisition and transfer of firearms in the country.

Vásquez Martínez warned that "from now on no one will be able to acquire a new weapon or carry out a transfer between one citizen and another without prior authorization from the Interior Ministry and Police."

Similarly, he said that from Tuesday, users will access the services of the ministry through prior appointments made through its portal www.mip.gob.do , and also via the number * 788, in order to comply with the protocol sanitary facilities and streamline renovation processes.

Regarding the licenses, he said that starting this Tuesday they will begin to be delivered to users who have them pending delivery, but by appointment.

He proclaimed that as a way to avoid the discretion used in the past, from now on the services related to psychiatric examinations, clinical laboratories and shooting ranges will be randomly designated , depending on the proximity of the residence address, indicated by the solicitor.

Minister of the Interior and Police maintains that disarmament must take place in the country

They remove 52 employees who controlled delivery of firearms permits
This is different from how it was done before, when the interested party went to the laboratory, polygon and psychiatrist of their preference, and with the mere fact of presenting those documents, they already had the right to a license. With the new method, that will not be possible.

When delivering a speech at the central act at the MIP headquarters, Vásquez Martínez explained that the 11th floor of the Government Offices building (El Huacal) was enabled, where the number of post offices was expanded from two to 20, in order to make it more agile the process, while "the new staff are young university students and professionals from different careers, who were rigorously refined and subjected to a training process."

He warned that all users who have an interest in buying, transferring or renewing their licenses will have to exhaust a pre-approval phase, which consists of determining the applicant's aptitude, through a psychiatric assessment, anti-doping, alcohol and handling of the weapon in a shooting range.

He said that although these criteria were provided for in Law 631-16, they were ignored and handled at discretion, which made it more vulnerable that people without conditions could have access to the license.

Regarding new weapons and transfers, he explained that “they can only take place once the applicant has been cleared, in the case of the transfer, to the buyer, when the ministry issues authorization or no objection to the purchase of the weapon, and in the case of weapons new, the corresponding armory will be required to issue the invoice for the purchase of the weapon, the single customs declaration, in addition to the 'packing list ' and other documents that were traditionally required. This in order to verify that it is indeed a weapon acquired before July 24, 2006, which is when decree number 309-2006 was issued ”.

He reiterated that there are 238,000 registered weapons and that only more than 50,000 are renewed each year, which is why they will soon ask their owners to do their renewal.

He also called on those who possess illegal weapons to hand them over voluntarily , because otherwise, he will act within the framework of the law, which he understands would reduce the crime rate in the country.

Government will buy illegal weapons in the hands of civilians

It will financially compensate the police and military who seize them, as well as citizens who collaborate with the program

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … MD25156208

President Luis Abinader reported that as of April 6, he will begin a program to purchase illegal weapons in the hands of civilians, in order to reduce violence and crime in the country.

The president explained that the arms buy-back program will have civil, religious and business organizations, with which he has already contacted from the Ministry of the Interior and Police.

The purchase will be with cash and coupons that will be exchanged for products in the commercial sector.

In a press conference at the National Palace, Abinader indicated that in order to make the plan more effective, the police and military and customs officials who seize illegal weapons within their functions will also be compensated.

Also, he said, citizens will be financially incentivized to collaborate in locating and negotiating with those who possess illegal weapons.

"Starting Tuesday, April 6, we are going to start an innovative program to buy back illegal weapons with the collaboration of the entire social, community, religious and business sector," announced the head of state.

The weapons that are recovered will be destroyed so that they do not return to the streets.

The president also announced that he will turn the National Police into a fully digital institution so that it can efficiently collect and analyze and make decisions based on reliable data processed in real time that will transform the current citizen security observatory into a new and refurbished citizen security analysis center.

Abinader attributes the citizens' tradition of wanting to possess a firearm to a “high perception of insecurity” and the presence of micro-trafficking of drugs in the neighborhoods.

He argued that only 50,000 weapons have permits, of the 238,000 registered in the country.

He considers that it is not possible to register the number of illegal weapons, but that it is estimated that for each legal weapon there could be approximately a minimum of one and a maximum of three illegal weapons.

He warned that legal and illegal weapons "have become a serious problem for public health and also for citizen security."

So what is the process to get a gun permit in the Dominican Republic for Americans, who want to bring their guns to the DR when moving their permanently?

This appears to be a HUGE step in the right direction!  Lets see how it rolls out.

Randalis welcome to the forums.   

Gun ownership  is HARD to get - you need residency and then you have to jump through hoops. The laws are changing and it will get even harder.   You cannot bring ANY guns from outside.

Interesting tactic, to reward the police officials that collect the turned-in weapons.  Essentially, bounties, right?

They haven't mentioned numbers for the rewards or bounties...it will be interesting to see.

Gun buybacks have a checkered history in most nations.  Often, what gets turned in are old, obsolete, rusted or broken weapons.  Leading one to wonder whether the reward is used to purchase newer weapons. 

But, it might work.  Only time will tell.

I wish the DR government luck. 

Jim

Jim,

It is all part of a Comprehensive Citizen Security Strategy which was announced today by the President and it also included the motorcycle jackets.

This is just the beginning and personally I do think this is positive even if motorcycle jackets will probably be difficult to implement.

President Luis Abinader announced on Monday the beginning of the first phase of the Comprehensive Citizen Security Strategy, which includes removing illegal weapons from the streets and addressing domestic violence, which seeks to reduce deaths from traffic accidents and prevent crimes committed through the use of motorcycles.

During a press conference offered in the Las Cariátides room of the National Palace, President Abinader explained that the Ministry of the Interior and Police will use innovative mechanisms and strategic collaborations with the community, union, religious and business sectors.

In this way, the population that does not have official authorizations to carry and possess weapons will be disarmed, in order to minimize illegal weapons.

"As president, I ask all the Dominican people to join in supporting this disarmament plan, and to be actors in this momentous change for the future of the country," the president urged.

The plan is focused on strengthening the institutional framework that will focus on building a National Citizen Security System that ensures that policies, plans and actions aimed at improving citizen security are responded to in an effective and inter-institutional, coordinated manner.

This means, the president explained, placing the entire government in unity of judgment and action to fight crime.

In addition, the head of state, emphasize the implementation of Comprehensive Interventions in Strategic Territories (INTEs).

This refers to the tactical efforts in the coordination of police actions, the justice apparatus and prevention to strengthen the operational coordination of key institutions at work to reduce the multiple criminal and coexistence phenomena that allow give results in the short and medium term.

“Security is freedom. And to be truly free, citizens have to feel that our personal integrity is protected and that our collective rights, those that give us the citizenship card, are perfectly safeguarded, ”said the president.

In defense of women and families

To improve prevention and condemnation of domestic and gender violence, the Government will activate a process to strengthen the Special Directorate for the Protection of Women and Domestic Violence.

This entity will provide direct and effective telephone assistance to women affected by this type of violence.

In addition, it will receive cases of domestic violence from 911 that require immediate attention and will work closely with the Ministry of Women in its service line * 212 and the Public Ministry through its Life Line.

In its full development, this directorate will have a presence in 14 regional directorates of the National Police, 26 units of Attention of the Public Ministry and 20 shelters of the Ministry of Women. Likewise, it will have the capacity to simultaneously guard 100 victims.

"As an initial contribution for its equipment and operability we are delivering today 150 million pesos and as a contribution for its operation 106 million pesos until the end of the year and budget," said the president.

Road Safety Transformation

In compliance with the strategic lines of his government plan, President Abinader reported the start of strengthening the DIGESET Department of Highway Regulation, through which on Sunday March 28, coinciding with Holy Week, they will be put into operation 60 motorcycles and 243 vans in the main traffic arteries of the country.

In the interest of reducing traffic accidents in the most critical points of the national territory, DIGESET agents will be equipped with radars to control traffic speeds and will have a communication system (Communication Radio and Fleet) and a technological application to debug and supervise the offenders of Law 63-17.

Likewise, as of June 1, the Government will initiate the identification of all motorcyclists by using vests with an individual number, a measure with which it is intended to reduce the number of those who use motors without a license, and of criminal activities that in many cases are associated with its use.

Police Life and Technology Improvements

According to the statement of President Abinader, during the next twelve months the Government will continue to improve the living and working conditions of the National Police officers.

In that sense, of the 717 existing detachments, 202 will be rebuilt in the coming months, 52 will be reformed this year and the rest in the next budget of 2022.

Regarding technological advances, the president announced the launch of a platform that will allow direct and real-time interaction between citizens and the Police.

From their cell phone, with an App or application, each Dominican will be able to file a complaint with videos, photos and texts from the place where the events occur, and follow up on their case.

The second advance in police technology will be the launch of a modern criminalistics police laboratory capable of collecting and forensic analysis of DNA samples, ballistics fingerprints and other branches of criminology.

Both the technological platform and the crime laboratory are already in the process of submitting proposals to be selected the most suitable as soon as the evaluation and purchasing processes allow.

"From a totally analog police force we will jump to a much more efficient digital one," said the president.

President Abinader announced that they will initiate what he called an innovative program to buy back illegal weapons with the collaboration of the entire social community, union, religious and business sector, with which the Ministry of the Interior and Police will open channels of dialogue for their collaboration.

“The high perception of insecurity, a tradition of attachment to weapons, and the presence of micro-trafficking of drugs in the neighborhoods cause an increase in weapons in the possession of civilians. - Statistics indicate that we have about 50 thousand weapons with permits out of the 238 thousand weapons registered in the country, ”he reported.

The aforementioned illegal arms buyback program includes the following actions:

-Offer attractive compensation to encourage the delivery of illegal weapons.

-The compensation will not only be in cash, but will include coupons exchangeable for any product in the commercial system.

-The weapons will be immediately destroyed so that they do not return to the streets.

-The buyback program must include a compensation system for police, military and customs officials who identify and seize weapons in their work.

-It will include compensation for people who collaborate in locating illegal weapons.

-An active promotion through the mass media to guarantee full knowledge of all citizens.

https://presidencia.gob.do/noticias/pri … legales-de