Overview:
The Haitian National Police graduated 877 officers from the P4000 program on January 23, marking the 35th cohort trained over three months. Authorities said the recruits would strengthen operations and help restore state authority in tackling gang-related violence.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — The first cohort of 877 officers from the Haitian National Police’s P4000 program graduated on Jan. 23. The group—comprising 721 men and 156 women—is part of efforts to bolster law enforcement’s fight against armed gangs terrorizing the population.
Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), reiterated that “the country is at war with gangs. Peace must change sides—and it will change sides.”
The ceremony held at the National Police Academy in Pétion-Ville drew CPT members, including Saint-Cyr, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and senior officials of the Haitian Armed Forces and police as well as representatives of Canada, the United States and the Organization of American States (OAS).
P4000 is a program aimed at training 4,000 officers over an 18-month period. According to police authorities, the initiative seeks to strengthen the force to better protect the population as part of a reinforced national security strategy. The new officers receive training adapted to gang-related violence and will be deployed in antigang operations.
A group of the 877 new police officers from the 35th graduating class of the P4000 program marching on the grounds of the National Police Academy in Pétion-Ville on January 23, 2026. Photo by Dieugo Andre for The Haitian Times.
The Prime Minister, whom five members of the CPT have sought to dismiss despite warnings from the international community, praised the commitment of the new police officers. He also described the P4000 program as a strategic response to the country’s urgent security challenges.
“The State is no longer retreating,” he said, vowing to pursue all bandits—both those in sandals and those in ties.
“It is fully assuming its mission,” he added. “The government and the Transitional Presidential Council are determined to strengthen the operational capacities of the Haitian National Police in order to regain control of territories affected by insecurity.”
The revised training under P4000 is designed to better prepare officers to combat gangs and secure reclaimed territories, according to Police Director General Vladimir Paraison. He said there are also plans to expand into a P10000 program.
United States officials, who assist in training cadets set to join the ranks of the Haitian National Police, support the program. They have also emphasized that Haiti’s security is important to the U.S.
While the first cohort has just graduated, a second group of over 1,000 recruits is set to join the P4000 program. According to an PNH notice published on Jan. 21, recruitment for the third cohort has already opened, offering spots for candidates wishing to support the police in the national security strategy.
These police officers will be deployed in a context marked by gang violence, ongoing attacks — particularly in Kenscoff, Arcahaie and Artibonite — and the launch of anti-gang police operations. Their mission will be to help reduce crime committed by armed groups, which caused 8,100 murders in 2025, displaced over 1.4 million people and triggered a food crisis affecting 5.7 million people, according to UN reports.
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