Identifying Law Enforcement Personnel in Mexico

Within the last year, American expatriates living throughout certain states in Mexico have experienced an increase in home invasions, armed assaults, and vehicular attacks. Many have reported that the attackers were dressed as police officers and initiated the attack by conducting a police like function.

So how can expatriates living in Mexico distinguish between an actual law enforcement officer from one masquerading as one? Is there any surefire way that we can determine whether we're a victim of a scam or really facing a hard working Mexico City police officer? Are there any identifying items that distinguish a real police officer from a criminal disguising himself as one?

The answer to these questions is yes and no. Yes there are certain patches, badges, and colored uniforms that should identify an actual police officer, but the problem is that any of these items mentioned can easily be bought for the right price by a willing criminal. Corrupt police officers are also part of the problem in facilitating the acquiring of official law enforcement items.

Many Mexican police officers are hard working professionals who are doing a very tough job during difficult times. The majority of them are smartly dressed and take a lot of pride in presenting themselves as professionals. The next time you are walking down the street and see an officer take a look at his uniform. They will be wearing a dark navy blue uniform with a black duty (gun) belt similar to what you will see in the United States. They will have a star shaped badge and patches on their upper arms that will state what city they work for. If you know a bit about handguns most carry Beretta 9mm pistols -- they will also have radios. If they have no badges, patches, and are wearing a non- looking law enforcement type duty belt then you need to start questioning the situation. So if you're stopped in Tijuana and the badge does not state the city and the officer is wearing a revolver in a brown holster you are most likely being targeted in scam.

If an officer stops you because of a speeding violation they will explain why they stopped you and the procedures. They will also show you a booklet listing the fines. It will and should be done professionally. I was stopped a few months back and this is exactly how the procedure was followed, there were no questionable policies. What I did was make sure that the officer did indeed pull up behind me in a marked vehicle, that his uniform items were all present such as patches, badges, and that he had a law enforcement type duty belt, and was behaving normally, like a police officer. That is pretty much all you can do short of following him to the police station and having someone verify his identity, or having a superior officer come out to the scene and verify his identity.

On the negative side, many of the items mentioned can be bought in the open market. What you look for then is the way the officer is acting and conducting himself. He is nervous and looking around? Is he having a hard time explaining the offense, especially if he speaks good English? Are you being asked to come with him to a less populated area? Did he pull up in a marked vehicle? Are there other officers around and are they acting strange and nervous? Does the whole situation seem staged? Follow and trust your intuition!

This is a tough situation because of the corruption problem affecting Mexican society and government. There have been instances where the police are actively involved in criminal events such as kidnappings, or targeting expatriates with extortion threats. The best advice is to look closely at a police officer's uniform the next time you're in town. Make yourself familiar with what items are on the uniform and what a typical duty belt looks like. Observe an officer's behavior so that in the future you may be able to spot a pre-threat indicator that your being scammed.

Remember: security is your responsibility. Be prepared for the unexpected!