Screening of Juárez officers begins

By Louie Gilot / El Paso Times

Article Launched: 04/17/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT

Federal Mexican officers started screening Juárez police officers this week, looking for evidence of corruption, Juárez city officials said.

The screenings are part of the Operativo Conjunto Chihuahua, a plan to eradicate drug cartel violence in Juárez. Officers from the federal preventive police started screening four police officers who were jailed two weeks ago after a shootout with Mexican soldiers. But eventually, all 1,600 city police officers will have to submit to drug tests, lie detector tests and psychological examinations.

The police chief and district commanders were sent to Mexico City weeks ago to undertake a thorough screening, officials said.

"We know that there are police officers who have infiltrated the department. We know there are officers who have lost their way... Our objective is to identify these officers," and fire them or prosecute them, said Juárez Mayor Josá Reyes Ferriz, who supports the federal intervention.

Reyes said he did not know how long the process would take. He also said he would not oppose the screening of members of his administration, including himself.

Several dozens officers have quit when the anti-corruption program was announced. Others stopped working for several hours to protest because they claimed they were being treated like criminals by the 2,000 Mexican soldiers and 500 federal police officers sent to patrol Juárez.