Posted on 12/21/2009 1:12:59 PM PST by AreaMan
Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 1:18 a.m.
Earnie Grafton / Union-Tribune
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders congratulated a Mexican police officer at a ceremony yesterday for officers from law enforcement agencies in Tijuana, Ensenada and Rosarito Beach who participated in a training session offered by the San Diego Police Department.
Earnie Grafton / Union-Tribune
Mexican police officers lined up for photos after a ceremony yesterday marking their completion of a training course in San Diego. The officers received instruction in a range of topics, including patrol tactics, gangs, ethics and how to interact with U.S. tourists.
TIJUANA — The creation of a Metropolitan Tourist Police spanning the cities of Tijuana, Rosarito Beach and Ensenada is being launched in April with the aim of winning back the confidence of foreign vacationers to Baja California.
With the kickoff still months away, a group of 22 municipal police officers from the three cities was honored in San Diego yesterday for completing a daylong course offered by the San Diego Police Department.
The officers say they benefited from instruction in a range of topics, including patrol tactics, gangs, ethics and how to interact with U.S. tourists.
“Visitors need to know that there is someone who is there for them on the other side of the border,” said Giovanni Malinchrynni, one of 24 members of the existing Rosarito Beach tourism police. “We want to take away the bad image that people have about crossing the border.”
The plan is to create a single force that will grow to as many as 350 officers. They will specialize in assisting tourists who come to visit beaches, restaurants and shops on the corridor that runs from Tijuana to Ensenada. Although drawn from the different police forces, the officers will share a common uniform and coordinate enforcement strategies, including issuing a bilingual traffic ticket.
The metropolitan force will be launched at the traditional opening of the Baja California tourist season, when U.S. spring break visitors mingle with Mexican semana santa travelers.
Julian Dominguez, an assistant chief in Tijuana who took the course, said the initial area of focus for the police will be major roads where tourists travel, including Tijuana’s Avenida Internacional Bulevar 2000, and the toll road from Tijuana to Ensenada. Eventually, he said, the force will span all the tourist areas, such as Avenida Revolucion in Tijuana and Rosarito Beach’s Benito Juarez Boulevard.
The region’s tourism industry has been hit hard in recent years by factors that include violence and police corruption. Local promoters say that tourists have not been targeted by the violence, much of which is drug-related, and say municipal forces have made efforts to root out corruption.
Dominguez said the course was useful in reinforcing previous knowledge, but also allowing the agencies to work together more closely. The idea is that the graduates will return to their own departments and instruct other officers.
“In eight to 10 hours, you don’t learn everything,” Dominguez said. “We came to coordinate among ourselves, and learn about certain things that the U.S. visitors want.”
Sandra Dibble: (619) 293-1716; sandra.dibble@uniontrib.com
This reeks bad.
However, this was merely a photo op. Believe me, there is nothing useful being taught in 8-10 hours. Especially to cops.
Just aint going to happen...Mexico is a dangerous cesspool and those the enter it deserve what they get.
Life’s too short to risk mine in a nation tens of millions of people have had to flee.
You're right, they will probably also bring valuable intel, provide contract killings and protection to the drug cartels.
We had a good experience with those tourist cops in Tela Honduras. They followed us around and in one case, ran off a bum that appeared to be headed towards us. They just smiled and waved as we left that part of town.
If they don’t turn into tourista banditos it might be a good thing.
I feel really sorry for the honorable cops in Mexico, it must be a brutal and thankless job.
There lies the problem. Corruption is rampant. The cartels have more money than the ‘authorities’. The people of Mexico trust the cartels more.
Vacation anyone?
NAFBPO is an excellent source for what is really going on in Mexico AND across our border in our cities.
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/nafbpo/index?tab=articles
Seven women were murdered in Mexico, including one who was beheaded in the southern beach resort of Cancun, authorities reported Monday.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2399511/posts
Mexican troops take over police headquarters in Cancun
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2181995/posts
And TJ...forget it. It's out of control. The police chief has been on duty for a year, with armed guards all the time. The last 4 were assassinated by the cartels. Talk about a thankless job.
>>and learn about certain things that the U.S. visitors want.
Well let’s see, not being shaken down and extorted by Mexican “police” would be a good start...
another reason not to step a foot in mexico :D
Mexico City Assembly Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=9394242
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