Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

OVERSIGHT BOARD REITERATES COMMITMENT TO PUERTO RICO’S

PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITIES
Met with Police Monitor Claudio and Police Consent Decree related agencies to address Federal
Judge Gelpí’s orders regarding funding of Puerto Rico Police

(San Juan, PR – October 26, 2018) – The Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto
Rico (the “Oversight Board”) created by Congress under the bipartisan Puerto Rico Oversight,
Management and Economic Stability Act ("PROMESA" or the "Act") today reiterated its
commitment to funding Puerto Rico’s public safety priorities. To that end, the Board confirmed
that Executive Director Natalie Jaresko met today with Federal Police Reform Monitor Col.
Arnaldo Claudio and representatives of the United States Department of Justice, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Department of Justice, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau Reform
Office, as well as the Governor’s representative to the Reform, to address the recent orders
issued by U.S. District Court Judge Gustavo Gelpí regarding funding for the Puerto Rico Police.

“I met today with the representatives of federal and local agencies coordinated by Federal
Police Reform Monitor Arnaldo Claudio to promptly address the orders issued by Judge Gelpí,”
said Jaresko. “The Board is fully supportive of the reform plans required of the Police and has
assured from the start that all funds necessary are available. The FY19 budget was formulated
on the basis of that very reform plans. So, as we have done in the past with Secretary Pesquera
and others, we will continue collaborating with Col. Claudio and local and federal government
agencies, to explain how the certified Commonwealth Fiscal Plan and budget provides the
necessary resources for the tasks at hand, including salary increases for Police officers, back
pay of salaries owed to them, funding for access to Social Security and improved retirement
conditions,” Jaresko added.

The Oversight Board’s Executive Director explained that in March 2018 the Governor and Board
named a working group to develop the implementation plan and efficiency targets for each
government agency, including the Police. That working group developed such a plan for the
Police based on the Government’s data, including headcount numbers, and the Government’s
reform plans for the Police. According to that data, there were 13,000 sworn officers at the end
PO Box 192018 San Juan, PR 00919-2018; www.oversightboard.pr.gov; comments@oversightboard.pr.gov
of FY18. The measures in the Certified Fiscal Plan reflect efforts to ensure the reforms are
implemented and the Police Department becomes more effective and efficient.

An important part of that effort was providing for the sworn officers to receive a pay increase,
to pay officers the salaries owed from previous year promotions and salary adjustments, and
that monies were set aside to give police officers access to Social Security and more confidence
in their future retirement conditions. All of that was included in the Certified Fiscal Plan and
the budget for the current fiscal year 2019. Attrition would decrease to some 3.5% per year as
compared to higher historical attrition, resulting in 12,549 sworn officers by year end.
However, explained Jaresko, since completing that planning and budgeting exercise the Board
received information from multiple different stakeholders suggesting that the Police
Department has far fewer officers, which would imply that the budget has sufficient payroll
funds.

“I think our meeting today reassured all that the Certified Fiscal Plan and budget reflect the
needs of implementing the reform plans and the desire of all to provide for the safety and
security of the people of Puerto Rico. We will continue to work alongside the Government to
be certain the Police Department has funds to carry out its mission and the necessary
reforms. We are eager to understand what, if any, additional funds may be required and where
the reappropriation for these funds should come from within the budget, if needed,” concluded
Jaresko.

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Contact:
José Luis Cedeño
787-400-9245
jcedeno@forculuspr.com
info@forculuspr.com

Board’s Contact Information:

E-mail: comments@oversightboard.pr.gov
Website: www.oversightboard.pr.gov

PO Box 192018 San Juan, PR 00919-2018; www.oversightboard.pr.gov; comments@oversightboard.pr.gov