Suspected drug groups gun down Mexican police commanders in training

08:57 PM CDT on Thursday, August 14, 2008
By LAURENCE ILIFF / The Dallas Morning News
liliff@dallasnews.com

MEXICO CITY — Suspected drug trafficking groups are killing Mexico’s future police commanders before they can even emerge from the much-touted academy that is supposed to transform them into world-class officers.

In the past two weeks, five officers-in-training have been gunned down while traveling to and from the Public Security Superior Academy in the central state of San Luis PotosÃ*.

Analysts said the attacks were both a warning to the cadets and to the government, which is waging an unprecedented fight against drug cartels.

“These groups no longer have any fear that by attacking police there will be some type of retribution,â€