At the crossroads: Gertz insists structural change will improve crime fighting.

Alejandro Gertz Manero pulled no punches in describing the state of public security during an AMERICAN CHAMBER/MEXICO event this summer.

The chief of the federal police admitted significant structural change would be necessary to effectively fight crime. Gertz--who resigned his post two weeks after his appearance--was not just referring to administrative changes within the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) and the Federal Preventative Police force (PFP), but also major reform of the penal code and judicial procedures. "We have made strides in information sharing and transparency, but structural change and winning back the confidence of the public are major challenges," he said.

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Gertz had accepted an invitation from the AMERICAN CHAMBER/MEXICO to appear in the Face to Face series in which he was interviewed by political analyst and economist Roberto Salinas Leon.

Before addressing the challenges and limitations which the SSP faces, Gertz shared with those in attendance the functions and jurisdiction of his secretariat. Many were surprised to hear that neither the SSP nor the PFP have any investigative authority. Their primary purpose is to protect federal properties and manage three federal prisons. Gertz also explained that kidnapping falls outside the SSP's jurisdiction since it is not categorized as a federal crime, though he supports a reform to change that.

The SSP basically acts as a manager--supervising the national system of public safety--while providing technical support and actively liaising with state and local authorities in crime prevention. It also maintains national registers of police forces and prisons in addition to a national motor vehicle registration.

The primary goal of the police register is to prevent bad cops from jumping from one police force to another (a frequent occurrence in the past). The national register updates information available to all state and local governments pertaining to police officers who were fired or faced charges of misconduct or criminal conduct.

The prison register is effectively a central data bank that can be consulted by authorities to check if suspects sought for local crimes are imprisoned elsewhere in the Republic. The motor vehicle registration awaits final approval by Congress.

TANGIBLE SUCCESSES ON RISE

Among the achievements of the SSP--which was created less than four years ago--are a reduction in cargo theft and an improvement in highway safety.

Cargo theft was a major problem at the beginning of the current administration. With the cooperation of private sector specialists and the national cargo carriers chamber, the SSP was able to craft a plan to attack this activity and has worked hard to convince the transport sector to adopt it. A principal element of the plan is to install GPS instruments in each vehicle to facilitate tracking.

The SSP also has meticulously analyzed each theft and won over the confidence of trucker unions and bus driver unions. As a result, cargo theft and passenger bus robberies are down roughly 70 percent, Gertz said.

Highway accidents have been reduced by 50 percent over the past three years. The PFP has jurisdiction over all federal highways outside city limits.

Gasoline theft is another crime the SSP is actively fighting. After a study of the problem, Gertz and his men discovered theft was taking place at all levels of the supply line. President Vicente Fox authorized the PFP to protect storage and supply facilities with considerable success. Profits from gas sales have risen by 6 billion pesos during the five months the PFP has been policing the gasoline facilities, Gertz said.

MEGAMARCH HEIGHTENS ATTENTION

Gertz described the June 27 demonstration that attracted hundreds of thousands in a protest aimed at demanding greater attention to public safety as a wake-up call for the authorities.

"This march has become our best friend because it should prompt a reform movement in Congress," he said. "It can be the motor for real change."

Gertz said it was not a budgetary problem, but rather a structural one.

"We can't convince the public that we should throw money at the existing structure and expect improvement," he said, pointing out that the penal code dates back to 1931 and the nation's police structures to the Revolution.

"We must have fundamental change," he said. "We should establish a national police force and a national security system that reaches each neighborhood and we should do this with the full participation of society."

Tom Buckley is the editor of BUSINESS MEXICO.