Juárez fires 90 'corrupt' officers

By Aileen B. Flores / El Paso Times
Posted: 04/19/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT

EL PASO -- Ninety police officers assigned to the Juárez traffic division have been fired after failing confidence exams.

Juárez city spokesman Jaime Torres said the officers underwent polygraph and drug tests administered by the Mexico federal public safety secretary. About 285 passed the tests, but the other 90 did not.

Those who failed were deemed guilty of corruption on Friday and were told the city had dismissed them.

Mayor José Reyes Ferriz said in a statement that the officers who were fired would not be able to work in another law enforcement agency. But, he said, these officers would receive severance pay.

He said officers of the Cereso prison in Juárez would be evaluated in similar fashion.

During his administration, at least 900 other officers in the municipal police force have been fired. Reyes Ferriz said those dismissals were part of an ongoing effort to clean up law enforcement in Juárez.

In addition to losing 90 officers, the traffic department lost a commander, Oscar Arreola Leyva, who retired on Friday. Torres said he requested the retirement after 20 years of service.

Isidro Gutiérrez Palma took over as general director of the traffic division. He has worked for the agency for four years, city officials said.

Aileen B. Flores may be reached at aflores@elpasotimes.com; 546-6362.

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