Tourism police are there to lend hand

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/01/tourism-polic...

By Sandra Dibble
April 1, 2010

ROSARITO BEACH — With the Tijuana-Ensenada toll road as the backdrop, authorities yesterday launched a new Metropolitan Tourist Police force aimed at winning back the confidence of foreign visitors to the region.

The group is made up of municipal officers from Tijuana, Ensenada and Rosarito Beach who will operate under a shared name and uniform as they patrol traditional tourist areas. Their common mandate: Assist visitors who patronize hotels, restaurants and shops in the 70-mile strip that links the three cities.

The officers are stepping into the role at a time when Baja California’s tourism industry has been struggling to revive itself after a decline in U.S. visitors. Authorities say they want to regain the trust of visitors driven away by reports of violence and police extortion, and restore the image of the region as a safe place to visit.

While Baja California authorities say crime rates have fallen and police agencies have taken extensive steps to reduce corruption, “the perception in Southern California is … that this zone is very dangerous,” said Hugo Torres, Rosarito Beach’s mayor and owner of the city’s largest hotel. “The message that must be sent out to Southern Californians is that they will be receiving better service, without a doubt.”

The new force comes into existence during an important vacation period across Baja California, when spring break coincides with Holy Week. In addition, thousands of cyclists are expected April 17 for the semiannual 50-mile Rosarito-Ensenada Bicycle Ride.

Oscar Escobedo, Baja California’s tourism secretary, said perceptions about safety are not the only deterrent to foreign visitors. He primarily blames clogged border crossings and a requirement since June that U.S. citizens present passports when returning home. This year, the state took steps to promote domestic tourism to make up for the loss in foreign visitors, and Escobedo expects about 120,000 travelers this week.

Members of the newly created force, most of whom are bilingual, have been tasked with responding to any domestic or foreign tourists who call to report crimes or ask for emergency assistance, said Daniel de la Rosa, Baja California’s secretary of public safety. His agency is responsible for coordinating the effort.

De la Rosa said the force is starting with two dozen patrol cars and 130 officers, but is expected to grow. Most officers are drawn from existing tourist-assistance units in the three cities, and officials hope the new force eventually will operate autonomously, with the authority to issue its own traffic citations.

The new force is being backed by the public safety and tourism secretariats, as well as the federal police. In December, the San Diego Police Department gave a daylong course to 24 Mexican officers, instructing them in subjects such as patrol tactics, gangs and how to treat U.S. tourists.

Julián Domínguez, a deputy chief in Tijuana, said officers are being instructed to go easy on visitors who commit infractions such as heading in the wrong direction down one-way streets. “There won’t be tickets, just warnings, if the infraction is minor,” he said.


TOURIST HELP

Mexican officials advise tourists who are in need of help to use these phone numbers. Bilingual personnel are available 24 hours a day.

Visitor assistance hotline: 078

Emergencies: 066 or 911

To make an anonymous crime report: 089


Photo by Nelvin C. Cepeda: Metropolitan Tourist Police Officer Al Burgueno scanned part of Rosarito Beach yesterday. The new force also began work yesterday in Tijuana and Ensenada.