Peruvian president purges police generals

In a bid to rid the national police of corruption, Peruvian President Ollanta Humala ordered 30 of the 45 top generals on the force to take early retirement.

Sunday's surprise move by Humala, which was announced through a presidential resolution and published in the official gazette, is part of a larger restructuring of the Andean nation's largest law enforcement body.

The president also appointed a new head of the force, General Raúl Salazar, who, during his induction ceremony on Tuesday, stressed the need to fight corruption.

"Just like the rest of the officers, the generals must set an example and I ask you - I order you - to refrain from any type of undesirable actions that can harm the image of the police," Salazar said.

Many generals have been suspected of helping protect drug traffickers. But some critics see the purge as a ploy by Humala, who came to office this year, to put his supporters in key positions.

Later, Salazar said in a television interview that the fight against drug trafficking would remain a priority. New generals are expected to be named to the different regions across Peru but until they are appointed colonels will take command of the regional posts, Salazar said.

Before the purge, the police had 55 generals, 900 colonels, and more than 2,000 commanders, said Interior Minister Óscar Valdés.