According to this mornings San Diego Union, almost 9 out of 10 baja policemen failed background and security checks this year. In mainland Mexico, it
was "only" 50%. The tests include lie detectors, drug testing, psychological profiling, and tests of personal wealth, among other measures, all
intended to root out corrupt, incompetent, and unfit officers. Of the 10% of baja cops that passed the test, only 4% received a "recommedable"
rating.Paulina - 11-28-2008 at 12:03 PM
If I were one of those 10% that passed the test, I'd be a bit nervous about my safety right now.vandenberg - 11-28-2008 at 12:07 PM
Not to hijack this thread, but do Baja cops actually go through some kind of schooling, like our police acadamies, or do they get their jobs through
nepotism or other connections ? Most of the cops I see around Loreto don't quite fit our perception of a police officer. Not to me anyway.CaboRon - 11-28-2008 at 02:51 PM
Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:11 am (PST)
Nearly half of Mexican cops fail police tests
By MARK STEVENSON –
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Almost half of Mexican police officers examined
this year have failed background and security tests, a figure that
rises to nearly 9 of 10 cops in the border state of Baja California,
the government reported Thursday.
The number of officers scoring a "not recommendable" rating on the
tests averaged 49 percent nationwide, well above the 42 percent who
got a "recommendable" rating.
The tests — which involved lie detectors, drug tests, pyscohological
profiling and tests of personal wealth, among other measures — were
intended to root out corrupt, incompetent and unfit officers. The
report did not break down how many officers failed each category.
In Baja California, home to the border city of Tijuana, some 89
percent of police tested failed, and only 4 percent were
judged "recommendable." Officers there have been periodically
disarmed, detained and investigated by federal investigators and army
troops on suspicion of aiding drug traffickers.
The report comes amid a continuing federal investigation that in
recent weeks has revealed the worst corruption scandal in Mexican law
enforcement in a decade, with more than a dozen high-ranking
officials — including the country's top anti-drug prosecutor —
detained on suspicion of passing security information to drug cartels.
The test have been administered to more than 56,000 state and
municipal policemen so far this year, President Calderon told
Congress on Thursday.
Of those, about 27,700 were deemed unfit for police work, and 23,380
were approved.
As many as two-thirds of police failed security tests in a half dozen
states. It was unclear whether they would be subject to further
investigation, retraining or dismissal.
Mexico has about 375,000 police officers at all levels.
Police vetting has been problematic in Mexico. Labor laws sometimes
make it hard to fire officers and it can be difficult to find
qualified candidates in some areas.
If only 1 in 10 passed then...
Dave - 11-28-2008 at 03:09 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by jodiego
According to this mornings San Diego Union, almost 9 out of 10 baja policemen failed background and security checks this year.
Someone was cheating. Woooosh - 11-28-2008 at 04:39 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Dave
Quote:
Originally posted by jodiego
According to this mornings San Diego Union, almost 9 out of 10 baja policemen failed background and security checks this year.
Someone was cheating.
good one.Woooosh - 11-28-2008 at 04:44 PM
I wonder what the testing stats are for the Army guys they brought in to replace those 500 TJ cops?
... And how many actual police bodies is "4% of the 10%" of Baja cops that got the "recommendable" rating? jBajaGringo - 11-28-2008 at 04:59 PM
Actually the article says 4% of the total, not 4% that passed.Woooosh - 11-28-2008 at 05:36 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by BajaGringo
Actually the article says 4% of the total, not 4% that passed.
Yup, my bad. So with 2500 cops in TJ (including the 500 on suspension already who obviously aren't part tof the 4%) that leaves only 100
"recommendable" cops on the job in the whole friggin city? I sure hope my math is bad.BajaGringo - 11-28-2008 at 05:39 PM
The situation is even worse than I believed. I really cannot imagine how they are going to turn this around soon...tjBill - 11-28-2008 at 06:03 PM
Tijuana police are paid more. Their salaries were recently raised to about $1,500 per month. That's about double the rate of most Mexican police
departments.Iflyfish - 11-28-2008 at 08:10 PM
I am impressed that they would do the study, it is a starting point.
Iflyfishwhennotscratchingandshakingmyheadinshearwonder!bajaguy - 11-28-2008 at 08:20 PM
From what I hear from a reliable source is that the Army and State Police (who have been cleared in the screeing process) are now patrolling
TJ......until the all of the TJ police are screenedWoooosh - 11-29-2008 at 05:55 PM
If the current process of screening out the unfit police ends up ousting 96% of them, why bother? Just suspend the entire TJ Police Department
operatons indefinitely. Put the military in charge of Baja Norte.
If the 500 military patrolling TJ now are already screened we just need another 2000 more. The $1500 a month TJ policemans salary is quadruple what
they make now.
You can't get a base to begin fighting the narcos if you don't have a reliable police force the people support and trust. I don't
think the people care if increase security comes in an army uniform at this point. They just want peace.
