Haiti’s Police Are ‘Begging for Help’ in Battle Against Ruthless Gangs

Gangs stormed the neighborhood of Haiti’s police chief, Frantz Elbé, in March, broke into his house, set it afire and killed his dog.

Mr. Elbé and his family were not home at the time, and he did not want to discuss what happened in any detail. But the attack, which was captured on video, sent a chilling message through police ranks and to residents of the country’s embattled capital, Port-au-Prince.

“It symbolized that no one was safe,” said Reginald Delva, a Haitian security consultant and former Haitian government minister.

The torching of the police chief’s house deepened fears among Haitians that their country was on the brink of collapse in the face of an onslaught by a coalition of armed gangs that had seized control of many parts of Port-au-Prince and were threatening key institutions, like the National Palace.

But today, Haiti’s outgunned and outnumbered police have managed — at least for now — to hold their own against the gangs in some fights and defend the few remaining government buildings under state control.

As a result, the police have gone from a much-maligned force, considered by many analysts to be inept and corrupt, to acquiring a newfound respect among some Haitians.

“The police have made important efforts,” said Gédéon Jean, director of the Haiti-based Center for the Analysis and Research of Human Rights. “It’s still insufficient, but now they have the population on their side.”

The police are focused on protecting key government buildings and infrastructure, experts say, leaving residential parts of the capital exposed to hit-and-run attacks by the gangs in what one U.S. official compared to a game of Whac-a-Mole.

Gangs hold the upper hand in many parts of Port-au-Prince, controlling entire neighborhoods.