Fear of Violence Causes Police Resignations

(Acapulco, JG 3 November) At least 20% of Acapulco’s police force has requested to be released from duty because of the recent violence that has shaken the city’s poorer neighborhoods. The announcement was made by Rafael Alarcón Clemente, the head of the union representing policemen, firemen and government employees in Acapulco. Resignations have affected both the traffic police (“Policía Vial”) and the crime protection corps (“Policía Preventiva”). “It has come to the point that we do not have enough personnel for emergency response teams,” he said. Elements from the Naval military police were called in to provide support in the recent incidents in the Puerto Marqués traffic circle. The union leader plans to meet with the head of Acapulco’s Public Safety and Civil Protection director, Héctor Paulino Vargas López, to analyze possible approaches to the problem. “We are now all afraid, you can imagine, because they are attacking the police officers directly. Units will need to deploy in pairs because the entire corps is in danger.” He recommends that patrols be issued more arms, police vehicles and radios. “Right now, only the police commanders and the patrol cars have radios,” he stated. Alarcón also called upon the mayor, José Luis Ávila Sánchez, to find out what happened to the federal money that was supposed to be spent on local public safety.