As Juarez Curbs Cartels and Corruption, Hundreds Apply to be Cops Alfredo Corchado - The Dallas Morning News
go to original April 15, 2013

A police officer guards a Juarez hotel where officers were staying in January. (Agence France-Presse)

CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico — Not long ago, being a cop in this tough border city was like having a death wish. So it’s a bit surprising to find police officers at shopping centers successfully recruiting men and women to wear the uniform.

People want to be cops again?

“Fortunately, yes,” said Angelica Medellín, one of the recruiters, adding that more than 355 people had applied. “We’re gradually making progress, one day at a time.”

Long known as the epicenter of the violence that has gripped Mexico for years, Ciudad Juárez is becoming a benchmark of how and what governments can learn about combating corruption, protecting public officials and restoring security.

After the recent slayings of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, his wife and his top assistant, Mark Hasse, many in North Texas are asking what can be done to keep law enforcement officials safe. Having failed so miserably at that task in recent years, Ciudad Juárez and other parts of Mexico are starting to find answers, though challenges and skepticism remain.

Read the rest at The Dallas Morning News

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