Frontera NorteSur February 2000

Cd. Juárez Police Force In Crisis

Facing the growing problems of increased city population, increased crime and decreasing employee morale, even the 13% salary increase the Cd. Juárez municipal police force recently received isn't improving the outlook for the force. Additionally, the crime prevention agency faces major problems including a shortage of personnel, vehicles, and equipment as well as an overall bad reputation among the citizens of the busy border city. Under the guidance of Police Chief Javier Benavidez, the force is reaching out to all levels of government and to the community for solutions to their current crisis.

Police Get Salary Increase

On January 10 the mayor decided to honor the police chief's request for a salary increase. In addition to the 10 percent raise which is guaranteed every ten years, the force will receive a three percent increase.

However, city council members have requested a further increase which would put monthly salaries at $900 to1,300 U.S. Police Chief Javier Benavidez has made the same request wanting a five percent increase, not three, on top of the decennial raise. Because of the great risk his officers take, and because they have to deal with the organized crime rings and live with a daily threat to their lives, the chief felt his employees deserved the additional five percent. "The pressure is on us from everywhere."

But the mayor said that the current economic conditions of the city will not allow it. "Cd. Juárez officers earn more than police officers anywhere in the country." An increase of the degree requested, according to city council member Jesús Alfredo Delgado, would have to be considered on an individual basis. He added that the city must maintain an equilibrium between its resources and expenditures.

Businesses Call For Decreased Crime/Joint Efforts

Private businesses and business organizations believe that the increase in robberies and assaults has caused a decrease in business and tourism. As the city's population continues to grow, a stronger and larger police force is needed, according to Ricardo Ramírez Vela, president of the National Chamber of Commerce for Industries and Restaurant Businesses (Canirac).

"There is no registry of who is visiting the city, neither is there an accurate account of the immigrants that arrive. Therefore, we don't even now who is committing all the crimes," Vela said.

He expressed that they don't want the city to grow accustomed to these problems and therefore not do anything. "Drastic measures are needed. We have the police, but they lack the ability."

The Avenida Juárez Business Association says they are waiting for the preventative police force to design realistic plans for preventing crimes. "There should be a network of city committees that can intervene with all three levels of the government, and with assistance form the private initiatives, crime can be decreased. Then the citizens will know that we are able to work together to develop and improve this city," said Recaredo Nuñez Alvarez, president.

A Solution Proposes, Is It Enough?

On January 17 it was announced by the mayor of Cd. Juárez, Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar, that the city police officers' typical eight-hour shift would be increased to ten hours to improve the security of the city, especially with the influx of robberies that hit in January.

The mayor guaranteed that the officers would be paid overtime for these hours. Police Chief Benavidez was agreeable to this increase because "There are no more officers." With the city's population growing, it is natural that crime will increase, however, the police force is not following suit, according to Benavidez.

Currently there are 1,400 officers who work on three shifts, and now all districts will have greater coverage. However, according to the Chief, a decrease in crime is everyone's responsibility, and the city must work, businesses and citizens alike, to implement safety precautions and to support the police force.

Overall, the city has a negative attitude towards officers and many believe the force is corrupt. "Nobody wants to be a police officer, that's for sure," said Benavidez. "Although an officer can make more than a maquila worker, the social benefits do not exist." The Chief explained in a January 19 report that police officers have difficulty getting mortgage loans and often have to rent or share houses financed by their partners because they can't get credit.

"We're tired of people thinking we just sit around and don't do anything," expressed a police cadet from the Cd. Juárez academy. "Families tell their children not to pursue careers with the police because they are all corrupt, and that once you belong to the force you are looked down on and nobody wants you around." The academy has low enrollment currently, which adds to the overall problem of under staffing.

The mayor did acknowledge that "there have been problems" with some officers. Officers have been cited for improper behavior using violence and denying citizens' rights. However, according to the mayor, "they will be replaced." Judicial proceedings are underway for officers that were caught with drugs and they will receive the full punishment of the law, the mayor said.

"People do not understand the difficult choices this force has to make. At any given moment there may be six or seven calls, and we don't have the personnel to respond to all of them. We have to assist where we believe it is most dangerous," the Chief explained.

Even with increased hours for the short-handed staff, the Chief is also concerned about the lack of patrol cars. The agency has 335 cars, however only 205 are running. There are 106 in the shop, and there are 25 that may not be salvageable.

Police Chief Asks For Governor's Help

Another problem the force is having is the lack of equipment, and for this and other needs, the police chief has turned to the state of Chihuahua for assistance. His request was met with positive response, and according to the attorney general Arturo González Rascón, "The governor is very interested and agrees that we must find ways to do more for the city's police." The attorney general also said, according to El Diario, that the relations between police from all three levels of government are better than they have ever been.

The projects that need the state's support include the "Panic Button." This program would provide businesses such as maquilas and banks with a electronic alarm system that they could activate as needed. "We currently have this service with 17 businesses, but we'd like to increase it to 1,500."

Additionally, the police chief is working with México Business Phones (Empresa Teléfonos de México) to install 200 public telephones in the newer colonias where no telephones exist.

The force also needs bicycles for its pedestrian police that work in the downtown area of Cd. Juárez. "Currently effectiveness is 30 percent, with bicycles this can be increased to 70 percent."

And finally, because statistics, according to Benavidez, indicate that drug usage is up and that children as young as 10 years old are abusing illegal drugs, he proposes a strong preventative campaign and improvement in rehabilitation efforts. "We want to campaign in the schools and the maquilas with the objective of no more drug addiction."

But overall, according to the chief, the problem is attitude. "We want to work, but we need a change of attitude from the same people that demand improvements to city protection."

Sources: El Diario, El Norte