Police abuse cases in the South Californian capital have been on the decline according to statements by the general director of Public Security, Preventive Police and Municipal Traffic, Lieutenant Ruth de la Fuente Velázquez.
The head of the corporation has indicated that during 2024, 72 files have been opened for various complaints, of which several are related to abuse of authority.
“It is true that as a police institution in some cases we have been singled out for abuse of authority, which, although undesirable, can happen,” acknowledged the director.
“However, our responsibility is to carry out strategies that minimize these situations and sanction the responsible elements,” she declared to El Sudcaliforniano.
USE OF CAMERAS TO PREVENT ABUSES
Compared to previous years, the data provided by the Internal Affairs Unit shows a decrease in sanctions for abuse of authority.
In 2023, 21 cases were handled that ended in sanctions of different kinds, including the dismissal of five elements, temporary suspensions and warnings. In 2022, there were 12 cases that ended in the dismissal of officers.
“When we arrived, we found very old files, from previous years, that had already exceeded the legal deadline for their resolution, and unfortunately we had to leave them without effect. From then on, we have worked to clean up those backlogs and, above all, make the attention to complaints more effective,” explained the naval lieutenant.
One of the key factors for the reduction of cases of abuse, according to Ruth de la Fuente, has been the implementation of body cameras in the elements in charge of mobility and transportation.
“Since we used the cameras, complaints about corruption decreased considerably. There is still a lot to do, but these types of measures allow us greater transparency,” she said.
SANCTIONS FOR POLICE OFFICERS FOR ABUSE
The Internal Affairs Unit is not only in charge of sanctioning, but also of receiving recognition for officers who stand out for their good behavior.
However, attention remains focused on complaints of abuse of authority, absences and other administrative offenses.
According to the general director, sanctions range from warnings to suspension without pay for a period of up to 30 days.
“In some cases, improper conduct has led to the definitive separation of the elements. There is no justification for the excessive use of force. If someone is found to be responsible for abuse, they can be sure that there will be a sanction,” she emphasized.
For this 2024, there are still cases to be resolved, but the General Directorate has followed up on each of the complaints.
Of the 72 complaints, some are for absences or irregularities in the issuing of infraction tickets, but abuse of authority remains a latent concern.
COMPARISON WITH OTHER CITIES
In cities such as Tepic, Nayarit, and Manzanillo, Colima, with populations similar to that of La Paz, complaints of police abuse have remained relatively close.
In Tepic, for example, 78 complaints were registered during 2023, while in Manzanillo, the figure was 64 in the same period, according to data provided by local human rights commissions.
These data suggest that, although La Paz has made progress in reducing abuses, it still shares common problems with other medium-sized Mexican cities, where the challenge remains the balance between public safety and respect for human rights.
POLICE MUST BE “CLOSE AND RELIABLE”
The general director closed the interview by highlighting the commitment of the municipal police of La Paz to be a reliable institution close to citizens.
“We continue to train our officers, because professionalization never stops. We want citizens to trust us, and the actions we have taken to reduce police abuse are proof of that,” he concluded.
Cases of police abuse continue to be a matter of attention, and authorities face the challenge of maintaining constant vigilance over the actions of their officers, ensuring that human rights are respected in each intervention, he concluded.
Source: elsudcaliforniano
