The Chapala police force received a boost last week with the acquisition of new patrol vehicles, life insurance policies and uniforms for officers.
Five 2023 model Ford F-150 XL 4x4 pickup trucks fully equipped as police patrols were purchased by the Chapala government at a cost of approximately five million pesos (US$293,000). A Ford sedan patrol car was also acquired through a loan agreement with the state government. With the addition of the new vehicles, the police fleet has increased to a total of 25 units, including trucks, cars and motorcycles that operate 24/7 in all corners of the municipality.
The patrols were delivered to the municipal Public Security Department on Thursday, February 8 at a ceremony held on the median strip in front of City Hall, with a blessing bestowed by Father Antonio Castañeda of the San Francisco parish. During the event, 100 sets of police uniforms, consisting of shirts, pants, caps and boots, were distributed to officers.
Mayor Alejandro Aguirre also announced that the government has contracted life insurance policies for all officers of the police force and the local civil protection-firefighters unit. He called this move a priority for his administration due to the hazards involved in their duties.
Agustín Rentería Godínez, the executive secretary of Jalisco’s Public Security Council, noted that only ten of Jalisco’s 125 municipalities provide life insurance policies for their police officers.
Rosa Ileana Michel, representative of the Argos insurance company, explained that the policies cover cases of death and compensation for total or permanent disability, with funeral service expenses and other benefits provided to immediate family members, such as spouses and minor children.