This
is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office
at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo. OSAC encourages travelers to use
this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in the
Dominican Republic. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s Dominican
Republic country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact
information, some of which may be available only to private-sector
representatives with an OSAC password.
Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel
Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses the Dominican
Republic at Level 2, indicating that travelers should exercise increased
caution due to crime. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the
Consular Travel Advisory System.
Overall Crime and
Safety Situation
Crime Threats
The
U.S. Department of State has assessed Santo Domingo as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime
directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Crime continues to
be the number one safety concern in the Dominican Republic for Dominicans and
for the U.S. Embassy. Robbery is particularly concerning, as criminals often
use weapons to coerce compliance from victims. Aggravated Robbery was the
second-most common complaint to the police between January and June 2019, comprising
18% of all reported crimes. Nearly 65% of all homicides between January and
September 2019 occurred during a robbery or attempted robbery.
A common type of robbery involves one or two assailants (usually
male) on a motorcycle, scooter, or even a bicycle. The assailants will drive up
to their victim and stop; one of the assailants will then dismount and point a
handgun at the victim, demanding valuables. Although armed assaults are more likely
to occur at night or pedestrians, they can also occur during
the day while the victim is in a vehicle stopped at a traffic light. Purse-snatchers and briefcase thieves
also work hotel bars and restaurants, waiting for unknowing guests
to place these items on chairs or underneath
tables. The wide availability of weapons, the use of drugs, and the weak
criminal justice system all contribute to the high level of criminality in the country.
Review OSAC’s report, All That You Should
Leave Behind.
During
the holiday season (November-January) and particularly during carnival
(February), the overall level of crime, specifically thefts and robberies,
tends to rise.
Between
January and September 2019, there were 742 Homicides in the Dominican Republic,
57 less than during the same period in 2018. A firearm was involved in 48% of
these homicides, and a knife or sharp object in another 36%. During this
period, most homicides (68%) involved perpetrators acquainted with their victim.
Of these types of homicides, 75% involved personal quarrels. The 2019 crime statistics
from the Dominican National Police list the cities where the majority of
reported criminal acts occurred by category. Preliminary crime statistics from
January to September 2019 revealed that the five highest-ranking provinces for
homicide were Santo Domingo (199), the National District (75), Santiago (61), San
Cristobal (46), and La Altagracia (38).
On
a number of occasions in 2019, Dominicans attacked and sometimes killed alleged
criminals in vigilante-style reprisals for theft, robbery, or burglary.
The
Dominican Republic also faces challenges with organized crime, which involves a
variety of activities, including drug trafficking and money laundering. A lack of law enforcement resources, poorly paid and trained
police officers, and corruption exacerbate the situation.
Do not consume alcoholic beverages alone or with new acquaintances
you may meet while in the Dominican Republic. Do not leave drinks unattended;
doing so can put you at risk for date rape drugs and sexual assault. Review
OSAC’s report, Shaken: The Don’ts of
Alcohol Abroad.
Security outside of the resort area, including beach areas, is
unpredictable, especially at night. Insist that hotel management take immediate
action to involve appropriate authorities such as contacting the police. Review
OSAC’s reports, Hotels: The Inns and
Outs and Considerations for
Hotel Security.
Fraud schemes, particularly credit card fraud, remain commonplace.
ATM card skimming is common, though most take place at ATMs not located inside
banks, malls, and hotels. Review OSAC’s reports, The Overseas Traveler’s
Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud and Taking Credit.
The
fraud scheme most attributed to the Dominican Republic is called the
“Grandparents Scam,” where someone pretending to be a police officer or a
representative from the U.S. Embassy calls an elderly relative of a U.S.
citizen claiming that a young relative has been arrested. The caller sounds
credible and pressures the U.S. relative to wire money for “bond,” “damages,”
or “legal fees.” Due to a high number
of U.S. tourists, international scammers often cite the Dominican
Republic as their location. However,
based on U.S. Embassy investigations, the callers often are not based in the
Dominican Republic, nor does the wired money end up in the Dominican Republic.
The U.S. Embassy regularly receives calls from U.S.-based victims of this scam.
Cybersecurity Issues
The threat from transnational cyber criminals is of increasing
concern to host government authorities. Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics,
Best Practices for
Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile
Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones:
Critical or Contraband?
Transportation-Safety
Situation
Road Safety and Road Conditions
For
those planning to self-drive, defensive driving skills are a necessity.
Although traffic laws are like those in the U.S., a lack of adequate traffic
controls and enforcement result in hostile driving conditions and frequent car
accidents. Drivers are commonly aggressive and erratic, often failing to yield
the right of way or engaging in road rage. Local laws require the use of seat
belts, the use of hands-free cellular devices while driving, and the use of
helmets by motorcyclists, although in practice police
rarely enforce these rules. Police
conduct random stops
of vehicles to check
documentation. Police can delay or fine individuals found to violate the law or
ask them to pay a “fee” on the spot.
Local
law requires that police take a driver into custody when an accident results in
serious injury/death, even if the driver is insured and appears not to have
been at fault. Only the driver must enter into custody. The minimum detention
period is 48 hours; however, detentions could last until a judicial decision (often
weeks or months) or until the injured party signs a waiver (usually as the
result of a settlement). Visitors may consider hiring a driver. Licensed
drivers familiar with local road conditions are available through local car rental and travel agencies.
Pedestrians
commonly step out into traffic without regard to corners, crosswalks, or
traffic signals. The lack of street lighting is notable and contributes to
pedestrian and vehicular deaths. Pedestrians do not have the right of way, so
walking along or crossing busy streets can be very dangerous, even in
crosswalks, at intersections with signals, or areas of traffic police presence.
Although
the Dominican Republic criminalizes driving under the influence of alcohol, the
law does not specify a maximum legal blood alcohol content. Therefore, in
practice, enforcement is non-existent. Traffic accidents
related to driving
under the influence
often result in serious injury or death, especially on weekends
and holidays, and when commercial vehicles are involved.
According
to the 2018 World Health Organization (WHO) Global Status report on Road
Safety, the Dominican Republic has the 13th-most dangerous roads in the world,
with 29.4 deaths in traffic accidents for every 100,000 residents each year. It
ranks the third worst in Latin America.
Travel at night on intercity highways
and in rural areas can be highly
dangerous due to animals on the road, poor road conditions, and vehicles being driven at either very slow or excessive speeds, often with
malfunctioning headlights or taillights. Rolling blackouts increase the danger
of night travel. Streetlights outside of major urban areas are uncommon.
The border areas between
Haiti and the Dominican Republic are regions where nationalistic
tensions can result in violence. Dominican authorities have delayed U.S. citizens at checkpoints while reviewing
their passports and questioning their purpose of travel. Bring such situations
to the attention of the U.S. Embassy American Citizen Services. Border
crossings are frequently subject to sudden closure.
Gasoline
prices are high. This encourages many people to convert their vehicles to
propane gas, a cheaper fuel. The nozzles of the tanks that hold propane can rupture
easily in an accident, and the tanks themselves often secure improperly to the
vehicle. Collisions involving a vehicle using propane gas can result in explosions
or rapid fires, which can be fatal or cause severe injuries to the occupants of
the vehicles and bystanders.
Review OSAC’s reports, Road Safety Abroad,
Driving Overseas: Best
Practices, and Evasive Driving
Techniques; and read the State Department’s webpage on driving
and road safety abroad.
Public Transportation Conditions
Public
transportation includes a metro (subway) and public bus system, as well as
shared bus or van taxis known as guaguas (converted vans or microbuses,
often without doors). Guaguas run regular routes within urban areas and
between towns in the countryside. Public buses and guaguas operating in
the capital do not meet U.S. safety standards. For travel within the city, use hotel,
call-ahead, or smartphone-app based taxi services. Rideshare services are
available in many parts of the country. For safety reasons, avoid using public
transportation, such as route taxis (carros públicos) and guaguas.
For intercity travel, consider one of the more reputable tourist bus companies
such as Caribe Tours or Metro.
Aviation/Airport Conditions
The
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration assesses through its International
Aviation Safety Program that the Dominican Republic meets International Civil
Aviation standards. The last reported commercial aviation incident occurred in
1996. The only airline operating flights to and from the
Dominican Republic that the U.S. government prohibits its employees from using
is Insel Air, based in Aruba.
Review
OSAC’s report, Security In Transit:
Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights.
Terrorism Threat
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Santo Domingo as being a
LOW-threat location for terrorism
directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. There
are no known organized domestic terrorist groups. Santo Domingo experienced its
first incident of domestic terrorism in 2014, when a male ignited an incendiary
device on a crowded subway car, killing one person and injuring dozens. The
Dominican Republic is an integral part of the Caribbean, with several international airports. As such, it is a
likely transit point for extremists from within the
region, Africa, and Europe.
Political, Economic,
Religious, and Ethnic Violence
Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Santo Domingo as being a
MEDIUM-threat location for political
violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Politically
motivated protests, demonstrations, and general strikes occur periodically,
particularly during general election years. Previous political demonstrations
have turned violent, with participants rioting and erecting roadblocks.
Civil
unrest has become a common occurrence in the last several years due to the lack
of adequate electricity, water resources, and the public opinion from certain
groups that the government is not actively protecting the national interest.
Demonstrations and strikes have occurred outside of Santo Domingo without
advance notice, and some have turned violent.
Review
OSAC’s report, Surviving a Protest.
Religious/Ethnic Violence
Occasionally,
inter-ethnic disputes may arise due more to socio-economic pressures than an
outright ethnic conflict or clash of religious ideologies.
The
law prohibits discrimination based on skin color and nationality. There is
evidence of racial prejudice and discrimination against persons of dark
complexion, Haitians, or those perceived to be Haitian. In June, a mob in
Santiago lynched one Haitian immigrant and severely injured another, falsely
accusing the men of killing a Dominican. The true killer, the victim’s
relative, later confessed to the crime. At year’s end, authorities had not made
an arrest for either the killing or the violent assault.
Post-specific Concerns
Environmental Hazards
The Dominican
Republic is located
in the center of the Antillean archipelago, placing it in the pathway of severe weather,
including hurricanes, tropical
storms, tropical depressions, and other natural disasters. Many buildings do not comply with
U.S. hurricane and seismic codes.
The
largest regular natural disaster threat is hurricanes, along with resultant
landslides and flooding in low-lying and coastal areas susceptible to the
influence of tidal surge. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1
to November 30.
The
Dominican Republic lies on several fault lines running through the Caribbean.
Of note is the “Submarine Fault” between the easternmost part of the Dominican
Republic and Guadeloupe.
Some
popular beaches are subject to dangerous undertows. Many beaches lack
lifeguards, warnings, or signs of unsafe conditions. U.S. citizens have died in
the Dominican Republic due to these dangers. Resort managers usually offer
current information on local swimming and surf conditions. Do not swim alone,
particularly at isolated beaches.
Economic Concerns
Authorities
enforce property rights irregularly, and investors often encounter problems in
receiving clear title to land. Consult a reputable attorney before signing
documents or closing on any real estate transactions. Real estate investments
by U.S. citizens have been subject to legal and physical takeover attempts.
Absentee landlords and absentee owners of undeveloped land are particularly
vulnerable. Consider purchasing title insurance.
Critical Infrastructure Concerns
The
potential exists for industrial accidents involving large infrastructure and
industrial facilities containing hazardous materials, especially after a
natural disaster.
Pollution
of lakes and rivers is also a major environmental problem. After storms,
pollution from rivers sweeps to sea and impacts nearby beaches.
Four
of the country’s five international airports have elevations that are only
slightly above sea level, subjecting them to closure due to flooding in a moderate
storm surge.
Other
critical infrastructure concerns are the existence of a weak and non-redundant
electrical grid, satellite communications subject to weather-related disruption,
and urban and inter-city road networks insufficient to carry the daily vehicle
load that lead to city-crippling traffic jams.
Personal Identity Concerns
Despite government efforts, violence against women, including
rape, was pervasive. Assaults have occurred while victims are in isolated or
compromising situations, sometimes at the hands of resort employees or other
tourists. Sexual assault victims in the Dominican Republic should not expect
the totality of assistance routinely offered in the United States. Shortcomings
exist in the collection of evidence. Rape kits are often not available until
the following morning and must be administered by the authorities, not hotel
medical personnel. Counseling is unlikely for victims. Victims often must ask
for medication to avoid transmission of STDs and to reduce the chances of
pregnancy. Prosecution of a rape case moves forward very slowly. Dominican law
may require the victim to return to the Dominican Republic at some stages of
the judicial process. In a resort, avoid secluded places or situations. Try to
always be in the company of someone you know, even on visits to the restroom.
Do not leave resort property with someone you have just met. Do not drink to
excess including when at all-inclusive resorts. Know your limits and help your
friends/travelling companions to remain safe. Shout for help immediately if you
feel threatened or encounter individuals who make you feel uncomfortable. Report
any suspicious activity, including excessive friendliness by hotel employees,
to hotel management, the U.S. Embassy, and, as appropriate, local police.
Insist upon immediate action if you feel those in charge are not taking the
complaint seriously. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for female
travelers.
There
are no legal restrictions on same-sex sexual relations or the organization of
LGBTI+ events in the Dominican Republic. In March, Amnesty International
released a report detailing incidents of police rape and abuse of transgender
sex workers. Other NGOs reported police abuse, including arbitrary arrest,
police violence, and extortion against LGBTI+ persons. NGOs reported widespread
discrimination against LGBTI+ persons, particularly transgender individuals and
lesbians, in health care, education, justice, and employment. LGBTI+
individuals often face intimidation and harassment. Review the State
Department’s webpage on security for LGBTI+
travelers.
Review
OSAC’s report, Freedom to Practice,
and the State Department’s webpage on security for faith-based
travelers.
Dominican
law provides for physical access for persons with disabilities to all new
public and private buildings, but the authorities do not enforce this provision
consistently. Sidewalks are generally in disrepair and pose a hazard to all
pedestrians. Review the State Department’s webpage on security for travelers
with disabilities.
Drug-related Crimes
Although
the country is not a center of drug production, the Dominican Republic
continues to be a transit zone for drugs entering the U.S. and Europe. Drugs
frequently channel from Mexico and South America, either by aircraft or through
maritime platforms. While cocaine is the most significant drug threat, hashish,
heroin, and designer drugs are also readily available.
By
law, the possession of any quantity of marijuana (even with a U.S.
prescription), cocaine, hallucinogens, barbiturates, amphetamines, or other narcotic
drugs is a punishable offense.
The law categorizes each offender according to the quantity of the drugs
found in his/her possession, and suspects must stand trial in a Court of First
Instance. The judicial process may last several years. In most cases, a defendant remains
incarcerated during the entire pre-trial period.
The purpose of extended
pre-trial detention is to keep the country
safe from criminal
activities commonly associated with the trafficking, cultivation, and manufacture
of narcotics. The Dominican Republic has empowered police and military forces
to undertake vigorous efforts to combat the threat from narcotic drugs.
Kidnapping Threat
There
is a low risk of kidnapping in the Dominican Republic. Victims of reported
cases include businesspersons, family members, and common citizens. Some victims have reported being abducted by men in police uniforms
or similar clothing, and having been told that their identity needed to be verified. Kidnappers take victims to an undisclosed
location and hold them from a few hours to a couple of days. Review OSAC’s
report, Kidnapping: The Basics.
Police Response
The emergency line in the Dominican Republic is 911. A
prompt police response to reported incidents is normally limited due to local
traffic conditions and available resources. The system includes Santo Domingo,
Santiago, Azua, Barahona, San Francisco de Macorsis, San Jan de la Maguana,
Puerto Planta, Sosua, La Vega, Moca, Cabarete and Punta Cana.
The
Constitution separates the powers of the National Police and the military. This
constitutional provision specifically identifies the military responsibility to
maintain the country’s sovereignty, leaving the National
Police to handle the country’s
internal security and the protection of its citizens (to
include residents, visitors, and diplomats). In 2014, certain functions, such
as the tourist police (CESTUR), the border authorities (CESFRONT), and the
airport security authorities (CESAC), returned to the military.
The National Police
remain the main internal security force and the only
agency authorized to conduct investigations.
The
specialized military police force "CESTUR” assists tourists and to provide
first responder-type assistance to tourists. CESTUR will help visitors who are victims
of crime get to a police station, file a police report, and seek further
assistance.
Corruption
and official misconduct remain a serious concern. Police Internal Affairs works
to prevent, investigate, monitor, control, and recommend corrective actions for
any improper conduct. Although
Internal Affairs investigations result in the termination of hundreds of police
officers per year, these investigations are regularly under-resourced and unable to make a significant dent in the level of police corruption. Download the State
Department’s Crime Victims Assistance brochure.
Medical Emergencies
Medical care in Santo Domingo is adequate for basic medical
needs. Appointments are generally
easy to obtain. Patients must pay for services at the time of the appointment
(or when the ambulance arrives). While private hospitals in large cities are
generally adequate, the quality of care can vary. Public hospitals and those
outside large cities are not necessarily up to U.S. medical standards.
Ambulance
response times range from 10-30 minutes (with the lower end being for private
ambulances and the higher end for 911 calls). Find contact information for
available medical services and available air ambulance services on the Embassy’s
Medical
Assistance page.
Avoid purchasing any prescription medicine
from small pharmacies due to the high prevalence of counterfeit drugs. Only use large pharmacy chains.
Dominican
providers do not accept U.S. insurance plans, except for Tricare; they will
also not file claims for U.S. patients. Check
to ensure your medical insurance provides coverage overseas and consider purchasing
supplemental travel insurance. Most health care providers only accept cash
payments, which you must make up front, prior to treatment and/or before
discharge. The U.S. Department of State strongly
recommends purchasing international health insurance before traveling
internationally. Review the State Department’s webpage on insurance overseas.
Tap water is unsafe to drink.
Bottled water and beverages are safe. Review OSAC’s report, I’m Drinking What in My Water?
Be
aware of the risks associated with cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic.
U.S. citizens have suffered serious complications or died during or after
having cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic, including from complications
and infections detected only after departure from the Dominican Republic.
Verify the credentials and qualifications of any plastic surgeon and discuss
post-surgical care and the detection and management of post-surgical infection
prior to any procedure.
With
an active presence of mosquitos that transmit dengue fever, Zika virus, and
chikungunya, the CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance
for the Dominican Republic.
Review OSAC’s reports, The Healthy Way, Traveling with Medication,Health 101: How to Prepare
for Travel, and Fire Safety Abroad.
OSAC Country Council
Information
The
Country Council in Santo Domingo is active, meeting quarterly. Interested
private-sector security managers should contact OSAC’s Latin America Team for more information or to join.
U.S. Embassy Contact
Information
57 Avenida República de Colombia,
Arroyo Hondo, Santo Domingo
Hours of Operation: 0800-1645
Monday-Friday
Switchboard: +809-567-7775 (24
hours/day).
Marine
Post One: +809-368-7777
Helpful Information
Before you travel, consider the
following resources:
