New Security Force Appears To Be Having Positive Impact On Crime Statistics
Crime statistics in Quintana Roo have improved since the implementation of the new Tourist Security Battalion.
According to statistics quoted by the Secretary of Public Security, muggings, home break-ins, and homicides have all dropped considerably compared to the previous month. There had been a steady rise in crime in the months preceding the arrival of the security force.
The Secretary of Public Security, Lucio Hernández Gutiérrez, stated “We had an average mugging decrease of thirty-five percent, a thirty percent decrease in home invasions and a fifty percent decrease in homicides. I think the operations that we have been implementing in December are working well for us”.
The so called Tourist Protection Battalion was installed at the start of December to help combat the rising frequency of violent crime being committed by local gangs. In response to several high profile instances in Tulum and Cancun, 1500 members of the national guard were deployed.
Around 7 hundred troops were deployed to Cancun, while the remainder were spread across Tulum and other cities in the region.The troops have been patrolling the beaches and busiest tourist spots in the cities, fully armed in case a dangerous situation could arise.
Despite the force’s arrival, there have still been several homicides in Quintana Roo. Tourist fatalities are traditionally low in the region, with the bulk of violence kept within the criminal groups, although one tragic instance has now seen an American arrested for the murder of his partner.
In recent months, tourists have been found themselves caught in the middle of gang violence. One instance in Tulum left two women dead, and at least three more tourists injured, when shooting broke out in a popular restaurant area.
In another event, armed gang member swarmed a beach in Cancun in an attempt to assassinate a rival gang member. No tourists were harmed, but the beach was shut down temporarily and two of the men involved were killed.
The most recent event, which some viewed as a statement to the new security force, saw armed men storm a resort beach in Cancun. Although no shots were fired directly at any tourists, over twenty shots were fired into the air as panicked holiday goers fled the beach. The assailants left quickly before abandoning their jet skis.
The uptick in violence didn’t hamper tourist numbers, however. Quintana Roo, and Cancun in particular, are set to have one of the busiest winter seasons on record, with hotels anticipating almost 100% occupancy over the last few weeks of the year, and first of 2022.
The suggestion that the security force is making the region safer will do nothing but boost the confidence tourists have in Quintana Roo, ensuring that the abundance of new flights from across the world will remain full.
The force is currently being viewed as a permanent addition to Quintana Roo, and its success over the next few months will be used as evidence to expand the program into other important tourist markets across the country.
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