Haiti to send 400 police officers to Brazil for training

Haiti’s government said Monday it plans to send 400 police officers to Brazil next month for training as gang violence overwhelms the country.

Currently, Haiti only has about 10,000 police officers and 1,300 soldiers protecting a country of nearly 12 million people, said Presidential council Fritz Alphonse Jean.

A total of 700 Haitian police officers and soldiers will be trained by foreign countries in upcoming months and will then join a Kenyan-led, U.N.-backed mission in its fight against gangs.

“Haiti is weak, and we need special training,” Jean said during a rare press conference held for international media.