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Improving ethics for police in Mexicali
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20050704-9999-1m4t...
U.S. experts to help beef up training
By Anna Cearley
July 4, 2005
MEXICALI ? Mexican law enforcement officials are working with U.S. criminal justice experts to develop a more extensive curriculum on ethics issues
for city police recruits.
The planning committee ? including a Mexicali police officer who was threatened by drug traffickers after he said he turned down a bribe ? met two
days last week in a Mexicali hotel. During the first session, the U.S. experts learned about academy training in Mexico, starting salaries and police
work loads.
The program is being coordinated through the Washington, D.C-based National Strategy Information Center's Culture of Lawfulness program at the
invitation of Mexicali city officials, Mexicali Mayor Samuel Ramos Flores said.
The center is funded primarily through U.S. foundations, international organizations and U.S. government education programs, according to its Web
site. The group isn't charging Mexicali for its services, according to city officials.
"We know there are large challenges ahead ... this a commitment we have to work together," Ramos said.
The Mexicali police academy includes ethics in its curriculum, but the topic isn't addressed as intensively as is being planned.
Jane Grabias, program coordinator for the Culture of Lawfulness, said the new curriculum to be taught at the police academy will be based on
"something that isn't theoretical, but something that can be applied to their day-to-day work."
The committee will hold further discussions and hopes to have the new curriculum ready by the end of the year.
Police in Mexico, who are poorly paid, often realize they can earn extra money through soliciting bribes from traffic violators or receiving payoffs
from criminals who want to avoid arrest.
Police collusion with drug traffickers is also a problem throughout the border region. Intimidation is often used to coerce police to cooperate.
Mexicali is the first city in Baja California state to work with the U.S. group to improve its police forces, Grabias said.
The Culture of Lawfulness program has been a part of the Baja California school curriculum for several years.
"We asked kids taking the course, and they said that police should do it," Grabias said.
James Finckenauer, a professor of criminal justice at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said he believes the course will be tailored differently for
police recruits.
"We are talking people in their mid-20s who have lots of experiences," he said. "Part of this effort is to challenge those stereotypes and
pre-existing ideas."
The committee includes academics such as Finckenauer and law enforcement officials from the United States. Three Mexicali city police officers and
several other local law enforcement administrators are also participating.
One of the officers is Jos? Luis Montoya, who was profiled last March in The San Diego Union-Tribune. He received threats and was the subject of other
intimidating actions after declining a bribe from suspected drug traffickers and then continuing to pursue them, according to court records.
Being part of this planning committee "is like an answer to my prayers," he said.
"I've always wanted to improve the police and this will reinforce that our only true path is through the culture of lawfulness," he said.
Montoya said that one of the suspected traffickers was convicted in May of threatening him, but was released because he had already served the
seven-month prison term while awaiting the trial's outcome. Montoya said he has heard that the traffickers want to retaliate against him.
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Dave
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Anonymous
Montoya said that one of the suspected traffickers was convicted in May of threatening him, but was released because he had already served the
seven-month prison term while awaiting the trial's outcome. Montoya said he has heard that the traffickers want to retaliate against him.
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Officer Montoya is a brave man. I hope he and his family are well protected.
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