As the Community Safety Initiative (CSI Chapala) team continues to solidify its efforts to support local authorities in crime prevention and effective law enforcement, the program is drawing attention on a wider scale across Mexico and beyond its borders.
Cooperative efforts between CSI and the police have been highlighted in stories published in several Guadalajara newspapers, as well as television news reports filmed by Televisa’s Guadalajara station Canal 4. Adam Raney, Mexico City correspondent for Al Jazeera, recently brought a crew to lakeside in early March to tape a segment entitled “Retirees Tackle Security in Mexico.” The network ran the piece in mid-March and has since uploaded it to YouTube.
Such wide coverage has caught the attention of law enforcement authorities in other parts of Mexico who are interested in following the CSI model. Chapala police chief Reynol Contreras says he has been receiving calls from his counterparts in other communities near and far asking, “How did you do it?”
Contreras reports that he has been receiving a few anonymous tips from Canadian operators working the Crime Stoppers International hotline. Although calls have been few in number, the information provided by citizens has been substantive.
It is important to remember that the purpose of the hotline is to aid the authorities in identifying and locating the perpetrators of crime after the fact. It is not intended as a channel for emergency calls. The toll-free number is 01-800-839-1416. Operators are on hand to take information in English or Spanish around the clock.
Emergency situations may be reported directly to Chapala police headquarters at 765-4444, and to the Jalisco emergency hotline number 066.
Neighbors on watch
The CSI group is currently assisting the local police force in the relaunch of Vecinos en Alerta/Neighborhood Watch (VEA/NW) programs. Forms to set up a neighbor contact list in Spanish and English are being circulated via email to encourage and help residents to build ties with their neighbors as a self-protection strategy against crime.
The concept encourages neighbors to organize themselves and work in concert, watching out for one another and acting as extra eyes and ears for local law enforcement.
CSI also has placed supplies of free VA/NW window stickers at Chapala Police headquarters, Calle Niños Heroes at Zaragoza, Banco Actinver branch offices and Arellano Properties, located on the Libramiento bypass just past the Pemex station.
Guardians
The first Guardian Angel (GA) citizen street patrol project is now cranking up in Ajijic. Volunteer recruitment started Saturday, March 24 with a demonstration by martial arts trainer Ron Krayewski, who will be teaching basic self-defense techniques to enrollees.
During a 16-week training program, candidates will also learn Guardian Angel operating procedures from experienced GA practitioners, along with some basics of Mexican law and essential first aid procedures. Graduates will be provided with uniforms to be worn on duty, including black boots, cargo pants, the distinctive GA red windbreaker and beret, and a utility belt for carrying tools such as walkie-talkies, notepads and pepper spray canisters. There are no limitations on age or nationality for persons interested in signing up for the GA program.
For more information, follow CSI Chapala on Facebook or send messages to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..