Santiago - 5-29-2005 at 07:52 AM
Would someone please list all the law enforcment/military groups that opperate in Baja, how they are uniformed and what/where their area of
responsibility is?
Thanks
Anonymous - 5-29-2005 at 08:30 AM
You planning on robbing a bank, or what?
JESSE - 5-29-2005 at 12:33 PM
AFI: federal crimes, narcotics
Military: narcotics, weapons, warrants of mayor traffickers
PFP: Federal preventive Police, narcotics primarily.
State Police: homicide, theft, but truly are workers for the cartes, corrupt as it gets, they dress in plain clothes, cant tell them appart from
narcos.
GAFES: special forces of the Mexican military, trained in France, the U.S., and Israel, they hunt for top traffickers and cartel leaders, almost all
the arrest of major traffickers have been done by these guys.
Local cops: crime "prevention"
You are scaring me
BajaVida - 5-29-2005 at 03:36 PM
maybe I better stop going
seems like I have seen all those guys before
and this group of thugs....
yankeeirishman - 5-29-2005 at 04:20 PM
Here's historical documented photoshot of me getting beat up by a band of BajaNomads on this day for non support of any type of spam on our forum. No
need to worry about the Secret Police in Mexico!
[Edited on 5-29-2005 by yankeeirishman]
bajalera - 5-29-2005 at 06:16 PM
Thanks, Jesse, that was an interesting post.
Thanks Jesse!
Santiago - 5-29-2005 at 08:49 PM
Even has pictures.
What about the "Hiway Patrol" - are you lumping them under "local" cops? I don't understand the difference between AFI and PFP - please explain. The
hiway patrol - is it an agency of each state? In other words, is there a seperate patrol for BCN and BCS? Is there something like the sherrif in
EEUU? On my maps, I see nothing like our counties - how are the rural areas governed? Maybe someone has a good geography source you can give me.
Thanks
Anonymous - 5-29-2005 at 09:06 PM
The "Highway Patrol" wich use those new Black and Whites, are part of PFP or Policia Federal Prentiva, they are basically preventive cops similar to
local cops, but they belong to the federal goverment and have the capability to investigate federal crimes, wich the locals do not. AFI is agencia
federal de investigaciones, and they basically are the Mexican equivalent of the FBI.
Those cops in those Black and Whites that you see in Baja, usually are moved to other parts of the nation because they belong to the federal
goverment.
Santiago: David K posted this back in 2002
vgabndo - 5-30-2005 at 10:09 PM
Visitors Guide to Mexican Police (I found it)
This was sent to me some time ago, originally posted on the Amigos board by David Eidell. The email was originally from Carlos Barragan. Jide, I know
you personally and thus know this theft to be a fact. I will post this guide seperately as well...
------------------------------------------------------
A Visitor's Guide To M?xican Police
Ej?rcito M?xicano (M?xican Army)
The army has been charged with civil protection, fish and game patrols (land and fresh water), conservation and fire fighting duties. Regional
regiments are commanded by One-Star General officers. Subsidiaries of the regiment are called "Batallons" (Battalions). Officers and enlisted men are
stationed a minimum of one thousand miles from their home to avoid collusion and conflicts of interest. Army personnel are usually dressed in
camouflage uniforms. They transport with Mercedes deuce and a half trucks and patrol in American General manufactured Hum Vee vehicles. Belgian FN.
7.62 mm. automatic rifles are the mainstay of the troop armament. Browning .30 caliber M6A1 machine guns are used to arm sandbag reinforced positions
monitoring rural roads in narcotics transport areas. The army cannot prosecute civilians directly. Suspects are remanded to federal or state police
custody for further processing.
Armada M?xicano (M?xican Navy)
Navy duties are similar to those of the army. Naval patrols also assist ships and boats in distress. Fifteen hundred ton Frigates are the mainstays of
the blue water fleet while multiple (outboard) engines open craft patrol shorelines and estuaries. The former is equipped with 3" 50 cal. Naval
cannon, Browning M2A1 .50 cal. machine guns and hand weapons. The later uses Browning .30 caliber air-cooled machine guns. Naval personnel dress in
dark blue uniforms. The Armada is saddled with the responsibility of fish and game enforcement. M?xican land transport vehicles are similar to those
that the army uses except they are light gray in color.
Polic?a Judic?al Federal (PJF)
Thirty one regional command?nte officers each supervise a minimum of six Capit?ns who in turn supervise a minimum of sixty subordinates. A cadre of
"home office" command?nte officers is at the disposal of the Command?nte Primer, who is based in M?xico City. The Command?nte Primer is directly under
the Secret?ria de Gobernacion, an appointed cabinet minister. The Secretaria de Gobernacion is generally regarded as the second most powerful position
in Mexican government (right after the president). The federal police are charged with enforcing M?xico's most serious criminal laws including "Gr?nde
Del?tos Feder?les" which is the same as "Federal Felonies" (murder, drugs, bank robbery).
Federal police officers prefer two modes of dress? all black for operations and similar to prosperous Texas cattle ranchers (cowboy boots and all).
Armament consists of Browning Automatic Rifles, UZI 5.56 mm. machine guns, Ingram MAC 10, 9 mm. machine pistols, and heavily decorated Colt 45 caliber
handguns. Command?nte and Capit?n officers prefer to drive new Chevrolet Suburbans with heavily tinted windows. Rank and file Feder?les sometimes
drive confiscated automobiles without bothering to remove U.S. license plates. Federale task forces cruise the roads in battered station wagons and
pickup trucks.
Official identification consists of a badge and photo Identification card. When flipped open the silver badge will occupy the right flap. The badge is
in the form of a shield with the inscription: POLIC?A FEDERAL. Above the inscription is a nine-digit badge number. The photo ID has the officers mug
in the lower right corner. The officer's name, district, and badge number is printed on the bulk of the card. Shadowed in, in large Arial background
print are the words "POLIC?A LA REP?BLICA". In a working crew of eight police officers only one will have an identification badge and photo ID.
M?xican Secret Service
The official title of appointed field agents is: Sub Deleg?do Federal Para Investigacion Nacion?l y Seguridad de la Rep?blica. Formerly called the
Federal Security Directorate (DFS). Agent's responsibilities include spying on opposition political parties, infiltrating, and counter-subversion of
dissident political factions, and labor union groups. Security officers normal dress is prosperous businessmen's attire. Their armament consists of
weapons similar to those of the Federal Police. Their badge is a shield with the motto "Seguridad Nacion?l". Secret Service agents prefer new Dodge
Cirrus (unmarked) sedans, with a radio antenna on the roof. M?xican secret service agents are at the whim of each 6-year federal administration. Many
manage to stay on from term-to-term. The Secretaria de Gobernacion is the Federal administrative head of field agents.
Polic?a Federal de Caminos y Puentes
Federal Highway Patrol. Tired four-cylinder Dodge Aries and Mustang patrol cars are being replaced with the much more popular full-size Ford
8-cylinder sedans. Patrol cars are black and white, with a red and blue strobe lamp overhead light bar. Uniforms consist of brown pants and a khaki
shirt. Usually armed with a 9-mm automatic.
Polic?a de Hacienda
Treasury cops. Blue and silver Dodge Ram pickups and Dodge Cirrus sedans. Blue and red overhead light bar. Dark blue pants with light blue shirt.
Treasury cops intercept smuggled merchandice and arrest the participants. They are usually found near M?xico's international, borders and shipping
ports. Armed with 9-mm automatics and shotguns.
Polic?a del Est?dal (PJE)
State police officers. Plain-clothed. Armed with every conceivable type of weapon. Envious of the prestige of the more elite PJF. Identification
consists of a photo ID and a star or shield badge depending on the state. State cops love to cruise around in new Dodge Ram pickup trucks occasionally
with six heavily armed officers perched on the bed rails. Armament takes the form of a 9-mm. or .38 caliber sidearm.
Trans?tos
Traffic cops are usually attired in brown garb and they drive regulation patrol automobiles with overhead light bars, and police identification
markings on the door. Their armament consists of a revolver or semi-automatic handgun. Uniforms are usually light brown (Transitos are referred to as
"tamarindos").
Ejid?ros
A ragtag assortment of civilians that are members of an Ejido. Their powers are limited and they are considered little more than an ill-trained and
equipped rural police auxiliary. Transportation is via anything with wheels, usually with a Kojak bubble gum light on the roof. Many Ejideros have
firearms but most cannot afford ammunition.
Note:
It is a serious violation of federal law for a plain-clothed officer to refuse to show proper identification when asked to do so.
Plainclothes Policia
MrBillM - 5-31-2005 at 12:57 PM
A couple of years back during the Summer, I was driving back to Percebu from San Felipe mid-afternoon in one of my Samurais.
On the straightaway near Faro Beach, there was a Black Chevy Surburban parked by the side of the road. As I approached, 3 guys jumped out and walked
to the middle of the road, two of them had automatic rifles. I stopped dead in the road about 100 yards away, taking time to assess the situation.
In the meantime, they are waving at me. I finally decided that they MUST be law enforcement so I drove up to where they were waiting. At this time,
another guy got out of the Surburban and the four of them surrounded my Samurai. The one apparently in charge started questioning us regarding where
we were going, where we had been and what we had in the vehicle. All of this time, the two with weapons were pointing them our way. Receiving
satisfactory answers, El Jefe finally said "Ok, you can go".
Back in camp I related the story to the owner's son, who asked how they were dressed. When I told him they were in plain-clothes, he said that was
against the law and they must wear identification. He said that I should have insisted that they identify themselves and point out to them that they
were supposed to wear their jackets with ID on them. Yeah, sure !