BajaNomad

Tijuana mayor fires police chief Huerta

JoeJustJoe - 10-5-2011 at 01:55 PM

Tijuana mayor fires police chief Huerta and replaces him with Alberto Capella Ibarra who was fired from the post once before for largely the same reason why Huerta is being fired. After Capella was fired the first time, he was replaced by much acclaimed Julián Leyzaola from the military(retired) who gained almost super hero status. ( very overrated in my opinion)

Any thoughts on the real reason Huerta was fired and replaced again by Capella? I sure have many thoughts on why, but will withhold them at this time. ( also see the Baja media outlets on this story)
_________________________________


Tijuana mayor fires police chief as killings surge Names previous city police chief to post

TIJUANA – Mayor Carlos Bustamante fired the city’s police chief Tuesday and named Jesús Alberto Capella to lead the 2,200 municipal force, it was announced at a mid-day press conference.

Capt. Gustavo Huerta Martínez had been Secretary of Public Safety since November, when Bustamente assumed the mayor’s office.

Capella is returning to a post he held for a little more than a year under the previous city administration. He was removed amid waves of deadly violence that prompted state authorities to assign military officers to lead the municipal force.

The change in police leadership is occurring at a time the pace of homicides related to organized crime is surging; ironically one of the reasons Capella was fired.

Capella’s arrival returns to civilian hands the most important law enforcement job in the city.

He survived an assassination attempt on Nov. 27, 2007, a month before his first stint as Secretary of Public Safety.

Woooosh - 10-5-2011 at 02:01 PM

The surge in killings wasn't enough? This guy has a pair and is the man the state police tried to assassinate in his home in Playas de Tijuana a few years back. He fired back and held them off. People like that.

[Edited on 10-5-2011 by Woooosh]

JESSE - 10-5-2011 at 02:06 PM

Huerta wasn't very popular with the rank and file, overall he was doing a decent job keeping murders under control, etc etc but he made too many high profile mistakes that got him fired. I think it was good that he got fired and so does most people from TJ. Problem is he was replaced by Capella, who is seen basically as a clown who has no experience.

Woooosh - 10-5-2011 at 02:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by JESSE
Huerta wasn't very popular with the rank and file, overall he was doing a decent job keeping murders under control, etc etc but he made too many high profile mistakes that got him fired. I think it was good that he got fired and so does most people from TJ. Problem is he was replaced by Capella, who is seen basically as a clown who has no experience.

Apparently Huerta left TJ after being fired and someone on the mainland gave him a crash course in how to solve this problem. Then he got "invited" back yesterday during a lunch with the Mayor and he just happened to be available for the job. If I didn't know Mexico better, I would say it was planned.

Woooosh - 10-5-2011 at 08:37 PM

"Those who know, say that the foreign diplomat (US Ambassador) complained of a series of events involving police and they had to do with abuses against American citizens is a priority for the neighboring government. It seems that the accusations were so shocking that the mayor decided to finally take this step and remove Huerta the head of the municipal Public Security Secretariat..."

http://www.afntijuana.info/editoriales/4160_afn_politico

[Edited on 10-6-2011 by Woooosh]