Dirección de Asuntos Disciplinarios Policiales
DIDADPOL
Summary
DIDADPOL (Dirección de Asuntos Disciplinarios Policiales) was created by Decreto Legislativo 18-2017 as the primary disciplinary oversight body for the National Police of Honduras and Ministry of Security personnel. It replaced the predecessor DIECP, which lacked disciplinary authority. DIDADPOL operates as a de-concentrated directorate of the Ministry of Security with technical, administrative, financial, and operational autonomy. Its Director and Sub-Director are appointed and removable at will by the President in Council of State Secretaries for two-year renewable terms. DIDADPOL investigates serious and very serious disciplinary infractions, including use-of-force incidents and human rights abuses by police officers, and issues technical opinions (opiniones técnicas) that obligate the Ministry of Security to apply appropriate disciplinary action — making its findings effectively binding on the agency head. Because DIDADPOL is embedded within the Ministry of Security and its leadership is executive-appointed without civilian composition requirements, it is not independent of the executive branch. In 2024, it received 3,067 complaints against police officers.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | 2 years |
| Removal standard | At will (weak protection) |
| Budget independence | Executive discretion |
| Subpoena power | No |
| Compel testimony | No |
| Records access | Full access |
| Public reports required | No |
| Pre-publication review | Executive review |
Statute
- Name
- Ley Orgánica de la Secretaría de Estado en el Despacho de Seguridad y la Policía Nacional de Honduras
- Citation
- Decreto Legislativo 18-2017, published La Gaceta, 2017; replaced DIECP
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
All members of the Police Career (Carrera Policial) of the National Police of Honduras and all officials and employees of the Ministry of Security (Secretaría de Seguridad); investigates serious (graves) and very serious (muy graves) disciplinary infractions including use-of-force incidents, human rights abuses, corruption, and other misconduct. Created by Decreto Legislativo 18-2017 as a de-concentrated unit of the Ministry of Security with technical, administrative, financial, and operational autonomy.