“Go out to Chapala and make your presence felt.”
It was under those terse orders that state police commandant Martin Martinez Mendoza set off on March 27 at the head of a five-unit convoy of officers charged with keeping a close watch on the north shore corridor during the Easter holiday season.
Martinez says his instructions came straight from the top of the chain of command: Jalisco Attorney General Luis Carlos Najera. “He is extremely concerned about security in the lakeshore area and keen to gain the confidence of the people who live and visit here,” Martinez said.
Overall, public reaction to the tight police net has been positive. A Mexican citizen turned over the keys to a house he owns in Ajijic to provide living quarters for the 20-man police squad. Native and foreign residents alike pulled together, offering cots, mattresses, bedding and home-cooked meals to help the officers get comfortably settled. Others have cooperated with anonymous tips on known spots of drug dealing.
Regular patrols have covered the stretch between Poncitlan, Chapala and Jocotepec. Police activities have included routine stops and inspection of suspicious looking vehicles. According to the commandant, most persons subjected to spot checks were compliant and even grateful for the beefed up vigilance.
The convoy is slated to depart early next week for reassignment to another part of the state. Martinez has learned that a movement among various local organizations is now afoot to petition Najera for establishing a permanent state police post at lakeside.