U.S. authorities honor Tijuana's top cop for driving down border crime

U.S. border authorities paid a highly-publicized visit to Tijuana on Monday to shower accolades on the city’s top cop, Julian Leyzaola. It was billed as a ceremony of recognition for Leyzaola’s work with U.S. agencies. He’s helped drive crime rates down 52% along the San Diego-Tijuana border, the U.S. Border Patrol said. And the FBI said Leyzaola’s cops have captured record numbers of U.S. fugitives.

But the timing of the event was curious. Leyzaola’s future remains in doubt, as reported last month in an article in the Los Angeles Times.  Tijuana’s mayor-elect Carlos Bustamante, scheduled to take office in December, has yet to say whether he will extend Leyzaola’s tenure.

To many observers, all the speeches and plaques of recognition awarded to Leyzaola by the representatives of U.S. agencies seemed designed to pressure Bustamante to keep him as secretary of public security.  Bustamante didn’t’ attend the event, but he most surely heard about it. Tijuana’s cultural center was packed with hundreds of Leyzaola supporters, including  influential business and civic leaders, and a media swarm provided mostly fawning coverage of the popular lawman’s emotional speech.

The Tijuana reporters, taking advantage of the rare opportunity to interview a U.S. federal agent, cornered the FBI’s international liaison officer, Mike Eckel. He said the security situation improved dramatically when Leyzaola took over as chief nearly three years ago. “In the past, we didn’t have as much trust as we do now…. The changes that have occurred here are impressive and enormous.”

-- Richard Marosi

Photo: Tijuana's secretary of public safety, Julian Leyzaola, in November 2009. Credit: Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Peter Ruiz]

they should send him to juarez to clean up that mess over there too! i'm sure he'd be successful!

[HDK]

As far as corrupt cops and drug gangs go....torture them all!!! Its funny how silent the human rights people are quiet when it comes to the beheadings form drug cartels. Way to go Leyzaola!!

[Bajajulio]

Gaysaola is NOT good for Tijuana. He is guilty of TORTURE among other activities. He has gone as far as to state that if not ratified as chiek of police He is not responsible for what will happen. This to me sounds more like a Threat of increased violence IF HE does not get his way. Lets hope that the in-coming Mayor has what it takes to be his own man and not a puppet of the powers that be. Bring back General A. Polito. He did reduce crime AND He did take down Cartel cels, unlike the hyped current individual.

[tedson]

If you want to help fight crime, vote yes on prop 19.

[Rob]

It's well known in Mexico that when the criminals want to slander the cops, military or government when they're doing their job, they cry torture. This time, corrupt Tijuana cops slander their Chief when they got arrested for working with the mafia. No proof of their "torture", just their word. It's laughable because the cops crying torture, are the ones that use to carry executions, tortures and kidnappings for their respective cartels.

[southoc]

Carlos Landeros - whose human rights are speaking of? Criminals? If a strong hand is needed to bring under control the chaos that is TJ, then so be it. When it is controlled then you can have pity on the criminal.

[joe]

just goes to show us how corrupt Our countries politicians are, true terrorists by definition. Honoring fellow terrorists, in their unethical and immoral war on drugs, smoking, self-thinking, and of course, Our Right to Pursue happiness.

[Carlos Landeros]

It is very funny how they are honoring a cop who has several lawsuits from the Human Rights Organization for torturing inmates.

Ironic

[RWh]

I wonder if the book makers in Vegas are laying odds as to how long this guy will be able to survive before the cartels take him out?

[Orlando]

"It takes a wolf to catch a wolf".... Thats what leyzaola is and thats what mexico needs right now