Ateo - 6-5-2012 at 09:12 AM
http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/25712/Tijuana-is-safe-ag...
TIJUANA. – To live without fear and restore peace has been the biggest challenge of Tijuana in recent years.
Although there is still much to do, municipal authorities have doubled efforts to ensure a peaceful environment to the public, and gradually,
consolidate an image that stands out for its tourist attractions, cuisine, culture; these are important issues for the country's economic development.
For years, Tijuana has carried the stigma of an unsafe city, but thanks to the will of its governing leaders, public participation and effective
action of the police, the city has rescued its streets which were in the hands of criminals.
"We are living in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility we had not enjoyed in a long time," Alberto Capella, Secretary of Public Safety in Tijuana,
said in an interview to SanDiegoRed.
The official highlighted the efforts made by the current administration to reduce crime in the community, especially those involving organized crime.
"We have to do things the proper way each and every day, avoiding impact situations, addressing everything that has to do with criminal enforcement
actions with the best punctuality"
On a recent visit to San Diego, the mayor of Tijuana, Carlos Bustamante declared that from 2010 to 2011 crimes decreased 40 percent, and so far, this
year has recorded a decline of 20 percent.
Despite these advances, there are foreign communities who still hesitate to visit Tijuana, something that Capella is conscious about and assures that,
based on results, the city will earn their trust back.
"The issue of perception will change over time, it’s not something that you change with a magic wand," he said.
"There's nothing like having a particular experience of visiting a city that has had a stigma as unfortunate as ours, which the city earned at that
time; but as President Calderon said, “we are a nationwide example of how to rescue our streets from crime, "he added.
U.S. officials like the mayor of San Diego, Jerry Sanders, have endorsed the actions taken south of the border reaffirming that Tijuana is a safe
city.