Union: El Salvador police pressured to meet arrest cuotas

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — A police union in El Salvador says some National Civilian Police commanders have been pressuring officers to meet daily arrest quotas as part of the government’s crackdown on street gangs that have yielded more than 10,000 arrests. Marvin Reyes of the Salvadoran Police Workers Union said Tuesday that the actions of some police officials will result in arbitrary arrests. He says bosses are telling officers to give “false statements” against some who have been arrested, but who have nothing to do with gangs. He says some officers have been threatened with transfers if they don’t follow orders.