Ramon del Arco Haro has been bumped up from his position as acting commander of the Chapala police department to become the formally titled director of public security.
The new designation does not translate into any change in the police chief duties, nor a salary hike. It is simply a formality that came about when Mayor Joaquin Huerta received confirmation that del Arco had passed the state government Confidence Control examination process, allowing him to officially ratify the appointment in accordance with standing Jalisco laws.
The Control de Confianza system, designed to test police officers of all ranks, includes physical and psychological examinations, laboratory testing, lie detector screening and socio-economic studies to weed out individuals prone to substance abuse, corruption and ties to crime syndicates.Del Arco’s upgraded status also permitted the mayor to present the city council with an initiative to establish the Municipal Public Security Council, a joint government-citizen body geared to guiding and supporting city hall on matters of crime prevention, public safety and police department management. The initiative was approved by a unanimous vote with the caveat that a preliminary list of council candidates be modified to include representation from each of Chapala’s five towns and neighborhoods that are most troubled by delinquency and street gang activity.