It’s no coincidence that tensions have subsided and a sense of tranquility begins to reign anew in communities bordering Lake Chapala’s shoreline.
In an exclusive interview with the Guadalajara Reporter, Ricardo Salas Torres, executive secretary of the State Public Security Council (CESP), reveals the steps Jalisco authorities have undertaken to quell violent criminal activity and restore peace in the area.
He preempted questions on the topic by explaining that the CESP is an internal organ of the state government that oversees coordination between state law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, municipal police forces and federal authorities. It weighs in on the disbursement of federal funding for public security expenses and likewise manages the State Center of Evaluation and Confidence Control, handling a stringent testing program to assure trustworthiness among working police officers.
What measures has Jalisco implemented in regard to troubling public security issues?
The last few years have been difficult ones for Mexico in terms of efforts to bring down organized crime and Jalisco has not been exempt from the problem.
The state has bet heavily on the use of cutting-edge technology, and we now count on one of the most highly developed crime prevention and public security support systems in all of Latin America. We are in the process of setting up video surveillance equipment in the lakeshore region and elsewhere in the state. Images are monitored at the central state control center and 12 regional communication bases. Similar communication bases for every municipality are under development.The Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences is also widely recognized for its team of qualified experts. For example, last month alone they ran 57,000 consultations through a sophisticated biometric identification system, with a 22 percent hit rate on fingerprint matches.
As a result —in contrast with other states —Jalisco has achieved a high detention rate of crime group leaders and the roundup of suspects following confrontations between rival gangs.
How do you view the current status here in the lakeshore region?
Jalisco public security chief Luis Carlos Najera considers the Ribera de Chapala as a high priority area. Proximity to neighboring states accounts for the incursion of cartels in the zone.
The violent events that occurred here recently were brought on by a clash between two gangs. A number of suspects were arrested within three days after the May 9 discovery of 18 murdered corpses. I believe practically all of the culprits have been captured.
The strong presence of state and federal police and the army seems to have run the gangs off to other parts and dissuaded them from returning.
What should the expatriate community expect with the upcoming changes of government administration?
For one thing, all candidates for municipal police department chiefs will be required to pass the confidence control exams before assuming their duties. The same will apply to the officers they employ.
The protocol is very complex. It includes physical examinations to determine health status, toxicology testing to detect drug or alcohol dependence, and psychological evaluation to measure capacity for dealing with high stress situations and proper handling of weapons. Studies of their family and social milieu, a review of personal finances and polygraph tests are aids in detecting susceptibility to involvement in corruption and criminal activity.
The work philosophy of the current administration is that public security is an area without political colors. Governor-elect Aristoteles Sandoval has publically stated his interest in keeping on Luis Carlos Najera at the head of public security. The invitation has not yet been formalized, but if he stays at the job we can expect continuity and a seamless transition to the new government.
Foreign residents can rest at ease, confident that Jalisco is making every effort to provide the public with clean police agencies and the most advanced and efficient technology available to fight crime.