Hti: Riotously popular police recruiting drive

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Police fired tear gas and U.S. Marines blocked the entrance of the police academy in the Haitian capital on Tuesday as hundreds of candidates stormed the building during a recruiting drive.

The police used batons to beat back recruits and called off the recruiting drive after several people reportedly were injured in the incident.

Haiti's interim government began the drive on Monday in an effort to replenish the nation's depleted police force. Hundreds of officers, fearing reprisal attacks because of their loyalties to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, fled their posts when rebels launched an armed rebellion that ousted Aristide on Feb. 29.

The government fired 150 of the former officers last week for leaving their posts or for ethics violations. Dozens more have fled the country.

Most of Haiti's 8 million people are without jobs and live on less than $1 a day, fueling desperation among the masses.

"We were shoved back. The police attacked us,'' said Louis Hubert, 29, an electrician and plumber who was among the potential recruits. "There were lots of gun shots. There was also tear gas, plus they beat us with their batons.''