By Laurel Morales, KJZZ News for Fronteras
FLAGSTAFF – The Mexican president has announced big changes to federal security forces. Experts discussed the challenges police reform faces at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute.
In the last decade Mexican legislators have approved policies and funded new technology aimed at reforming federal law enforcement. But the problem has been implementation. That’s according to Juan Salgado Ibarra, a researcher at a non profit think tank in Mexico City.
JUAN SALGADO IBARRA: “So even if we have these very highly developed and sophisticated operational standards, they’re not activated in the field. And I assume it’s because they don’t have the right incentives.”
Ibarra says he’s also concerned about corruption. He says it’s not just getting rid of one rotten apple; there’s a whole chain of command. And he says the judiciary system has been reluctant to deal with corrupt officers and civil rights abuses.
Other research shows seven out of ten Mexicans have little or no trust in police and the criminal justice system.
Mexico’s lawmakers are considering a bill that would establish an auditor to keep tabs on the federal police and hold them accountable.
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