MJ

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/10833857/detail.html

Tijuana, Mexico -- It is David vs. Goliath on the streets of Tijuana, where some police officers who were stripped of their guns earlier this month are now armed with slingshots.About 60 officers turned up with the slingshots on Monday to patrol the tourist area of Avenida Revolucion and the business district of Zona Rio. Some of the officers are using marbles for ammunition, reported NBC San Diego.
Their guns were taken away January 4th as part of an investigation into police corruption.Federal officials are expected to test their guns to see if they are linked to any drug cartel killings, according to NBC4 News. Since that time, federal police and soldiers have also been patrolling the city as part of a crime crackdown.Unruly prisons, untrained or corrupt local police, and a distrust of police among the population are all major obstacles that Mexican President Felipe Calderon faces in his crackdown on drug violence which includes executions, gun battles and beheadings.Calderon pledged to wage a permanent war against organized crime on Monday, by coordinating more closely with local police and giving all law enforcement officials better training, equipment and intelligence.Mexico's president has largely relied on federal police and soldiers for a series of massive anti-crime sweeps in several Mexican states, but he has said future efforts will need to rely more on local police."The federal forces and the state police will collaborate to put violence under the control of the law around the country. We have decided to restore safety to regions threatened by organized crime," Calderon told a national gathering of state governors and top public safety officials.The Mexican Security Secretary echoed Calderon's words."The main base to fight crime is the collaboration among those (people and institutions) who must protect society," said Genaro Garcia.Calderon's comments came three days after his administration extradited four alleged drug lords and 11 other suspects to the United States.Calderon said he hoped to use the federal operations to strengthen local police, although in some cities, like Tijuana, one federal agent's first job has been to investigate local forces for alleged corruption or violence.He proposed the use of better training, equipment, vetting and intelligence, including a unified national criminal information data centre.

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