When you move to Mexico, look at the front of your (or someone else’s if you don’t have yours yet) phone book for emergency phone numbers and write them down in a place you can easily find them.
There are a lot of them: one or two for each safety service.
The more you network with the people around you, the more safety you will enjoy in Mexico. Being in contact with your neighbors will prevent crime. In fact, one of the reasons for favor relationships is mutual security. Here in Mexico, neighbors do actually know and watch out for each other. Also, if you pick the right neighborhood, people know who should and should not be around your house.
Also, if something does happen, they can offer support, advice, and important connections in navigating through unfamiliar legal issues.
Most people here are safety conscious—at least in a neighborhood block-watch kind of way. It’s not that they wouldn’t drive without a seatbelt or hold a lit firecracker in their hand; that’s a different kind of safety that Mexicans don’t seem to believe in.
When you are outside of your neighborhood network, use the old rule of “safety in numbers” to protect yourself. Don’t go off alone.
When you first move to Mexico, you should get onto the website of the US consulate nearest you and register with them.
One of the most difficult tragedies to witness on TV in 2005 was the beating death of two investigators in Mexico City. They were dressed in plain clothes, supposedly investigating a drug distribution center in a neighborhood. The people in the neighborhood became convinced that they were kidnappers and surrounded and attacked them. They were beaten to death, while everyone watched it on TV. TV and newspaper reporters were able to interview them and film them, including from a helicopter as they lay dying, surrounded by an angry mob. The reporters ran to tell police officers on nearby streets, but no one arrived for hours. Both men died.
The media questioned the ice-age slowness of the police response. I questioned the departmental leadership that sent them into this neighborhood without back-up in the first place. The reputation of police officers as corrupt kidnappers brought harm to these presumably innocent men. My heart went out to the men and women who have such an unprofessional, disrespectful, dangerous working environment.
If the police themselves aren’t safe, how can the citizens be safe?
Since living in Cuernavaca, I have heard of 4 kidnappings! Two of them happened to people that I’ve actually met, one to the father of one of the students at my school and the last to a student at the school of a friend. I’ve also heard of a murder committed by someone’s boyfriend. Most recently, a student at my school and his father were shot to death in their home by someone who broke in, apparently to steal.
That’s 6 major crimes in three years. Five more than I had heard of in my entire life living in the Pacific Northwest! When I think about these stories, I feel a lot less safe than when I was at home.
Part of the fear with kidnappings is that the police have been involved. If someone in my family were kidnapped, I’m not sure that I would feel safe calling the police. It’s sad but true; the police don’t provide a sense of safety in Mexico.
POLICE HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH CREATING A SENSE OF SAFETY IN MEXICO. There are tons of different police in Mexico, and even Mexicans don’t seem to understand them. Here is a breakdown that might help you out.
TRAFFIC POLICE (POLICÍA DE TRÁNSITO) The police with whom you are likely to have the most contact are the traffic police. Blatant corruption and lack of training, and rock bottom salaries among traffic police reduces the expectation of safety in Mexico. These are the guys who stop you when you are driving, invent an infraction, and ask for a bribe.
They often set up road blocks on highways between two larger cities. At these road blocks, they flag you down and invent an infraction. Common belief says that they can confiscate your car and keep it at their station. This gives them the power to extract a bribe from you. If you challenge the validity of the infraction that they have invented, they remind you that they can keep your car while you file your complaint and wait for a judge to decide in your favor. Normally people don’t refuse the bribe while on a trip out of town. One Mexican I know did. He told his wife to pack up their 6-month-old baby and their things: they were going to take a bus. The officer let them go.
If you aren’t brave enough to call their bluff while out of town, the smartest thing you can do before setting out on an inter-city trip is to put 50 pesos in your pocket, remove all of your cash from your wallet, and hide it. If a police officer flags you down and begins to give you a ticket (this is how they open the topic of the bribe), you can say that all you have is 50 pesos.
On the other hand, if you want to fight corruption, you can definitely do it while inside your home city. In Cuernavaca, the police generally ask for 100 to 200 pesos, depending on the infraction committed. Usually people give around 50 pesos per bribe. One day my husband was stopped for not wearing his seat belt. The officer told him that he would have to go pay a 200 peso ticket at the police department, implying that it might be better to make a counter offer, and end the whole situation right there on the street. Well, my husband told him that he wouldn’t participate in corruption and to go ahead and write up the ticket. Much to his surprise when he went to pay the ticket the service was quick and friendly and best of all, the ticket was only 50 pesos!
FEDERAL POLICE (POLICÍA JUDICIAL) These men decrease my feeling of safety whenever they are around. They dress in black and ride around in the backs of official pick-up trucks, carrying large weapons. They deal with big things like shootings. They are the muscle and are famous for having too much testosterone. Do not talk to these men.
METROPOLITAN POLICE (POLICÍA METROPOLITANA, also called POLICÍA PREVENTIVA) This is a group of police hired by each city. We have no idea what they prevent–could it be safety itself? They also often direct traffic and fall under the description of traffic police above.
FEDERAL HIGHWAY POLICE (POLICÍA FEDERAL DE CAMINOS) These guys can stop you anywhere on federal roads. They usually check for bad driving and vehicles carrying loads. They won’t stop on smaller roads because those are state jurisdiction.
STATE POLICE These guys can stop you on smaller roads. They also check for unsafe driving and loads.
THE ARMY These guys are not police, but are included here because sometimes they have roadside checkpoints, particularly in “wild” places like Chiapas. They are looking for drug traffickers. They are mostly around 18 years old and dressed all in green. They are considered honest and not a threat to safety.
Generally they just flag you on by. Sometimes they stop buses and check the passengers’ documents to be sure they are in Mexico legally and don’t show whatever signs drug traffickers show. Sometimes this operation includes getting all of the men off of the bus for a more thorough “inspection.” They might let the bus drive on without one of its passengers, if they want to question the person more. I doubt they would do that to someone from North America.
Occasionally, there are “judiciales” (see above) in black or plain clothes mixed in with the army boys. Since they are federal police, they can handle all sorts of illegal activity. Officially, they are looking for drugs or maybe illegal immigrants. Unofficially, they are looking for victims. If they think they can take advantage of someone they will make up some excuse about they’re ID not being official or whatever they can cook up on the spot. If the person looks nervous, they can get them down off of the bus, or out of their car and stick them for a bribe.
You increase your safety by not acting like a victim. My husband and I have noticed that avoiding eye contact with them is a good idea. Also, if they do question you, be firm about your documents and reasons for being where you are.
TOURIST POLICE Let’s end this page on a positive note. These guys are there to help you. Not all cities have them, but those with a large population of tourists do. I’ve seen them in Mexico City at a parade. An officer stepped in front the crowd to protect the people from an out of control horse that couldn’t stop on the pavement. This officer’s ankle was broken in the line of duty and he was carried into the crew transport van on a stretcher.
Another tourist police officer helped my husband and me when a scooter rental guy on Isla de las Mujeres wouldn’t give us our money back even though the scooter broke down twice and left us stranded on the opposite side of the island. Tourist Police do increase safety.
If you can handle frightening news, read about how police themselves lack safety.
And it happens. I met someone who was a victim and have heard 4 second-hand, but too close for comfort stories. A friend who knows various extremely rich people in Cuernavaca tells me that they have body guards. They have to be concerned about their safety. Morelos has one of the highest rates of kidnappings in Mexico. There are a lot of rich people here.
A former governor of Morelos was supposedly even involved! Mexico City also has a very high rate of kidnappings and shorter go-to-a-cash-machine-nappings. Other areas throughout Mexico also experience them. The police and judicial system have been fighting this crime, and it has reduced in frequency. If this is better, I’d hate to see worse!
The good news for us foreigners is that mostly Mexicans are targeted. Though, one English businessman was killed last year in a kidnapping. The good news for parents is that mostly adults (or young adults) are targeted. We are also talking about extremely rich people. One TV star was kidnapped and told his story in a special interview on TV.
As with rapists, one of the perpetrators is usually someone relatively close to the victim. Extended family members sometimes give the needed information. To top it all off, the police might be involved. It seems that survivors usually come home AFTER the demanded payment has been made.
So…
Don’t look and act too rich.
Don’t tell ANYBODY how much money you have.
Don’t tell ANYBODY if you sell a large property.
Change your daily habits regularly so that it isn’t easy to grab you on your daily walk.
Register with the US consulate nearest you. The contact information is online.
Do the things above, then try not to worry about your safety. It’s hard, but life is risky anyways.
Luckily, I don’t have any firsthand experience with how important it is to protect the safety of your home in Mexico. Judging by the way Mexicans construct their homes, there must be a real need for security. Mexican homes tend to look like Fort Knox. When I first came here, I felt threatened and reduced next to the 20-foot-high walls people build around their houses.
An architect from UNAM (Universidad Autonoma de Mexico) told me how the cultural history has influenced Mexican home design. The Spaniards brought with them an Arabic tradition where external windows were small, permitting people to shoot arrows out through them, while the interior courtyards were private family spaces. He stressed the macro-cultural factors influencing this, such as tribal warfare. I noticed the micro-cultural factors surrounding women’s roles in private and public life.
Are you planning to live or retire in Mexico?
Click here to see a description of an e-book prepared by the author of this website.
Anyway, when these Spaniards came to Mexico to rape, plunder, steal, and control, they had good reason to reproduce architectural features that kept them safe from upset native people. Sadly, the modern situation STILL reinforces these same home safety features (not that the features themselves are bad). Once someone breaks into your house, your stuff–and possibly you and your family are toast. The police don’t or can’t keep you safe.
Prevention is the key to the safety of your home.
Physical precautions:
1. Choose a home in a neighborhood where people are out and about. This would be a not-so-rich, not-so-poor neighborhood. Some rich neighborhoods are terrifyingly lonely, with nothing but blocks and blocks of 20-foot-high-walls topped with razor wire. Who will hear you if you get into trouble? If you don’t want to be with other people, why not just stay in the US where the police are professional?
2. Mexican houses and housing complexes generally have a wall surrounding them, with a huge metal door. Only people with keys can get in through the giant door, called the “portón.” You have two good choices. You can choose a home with a private entrance. Or, if you want to live in a complex, choose one with a limited number of people who have access from the street. Complexes are nice because they often include a shared swimming pool.
3. Keep your street door (“portón”) locked, even when you are inside.
4. Ground-floor windows need to lock and have bars protecting them.
5. If your house doesn’t happen to have a wall around it, lock all windows when you leave. People will know your schedule.
6. Make sure there is no place where people could climb up, around, or into to reach unprotected windows and doors.
7. When you take a quick walk to the neighborhood store (doesn’t that sound great?!) don’t leave your door unlocked. There are always many people around. Most will protect you, but someone just might decide to steal something.
Community precautions:
1. Form networks with your neighbors by saying hello when you see them and trading little favors. This is actually our TOP safety precaution and I admit I don’t always follow the physical ones listed above.
2. Don’t let people know what you have inside.
Sometimes when we are in a new place, we aren’t as attuned to the possible dangers that exist there. Luckily the safety precautions for children that you should follow in Mexico are the same ones you use back home.
Don’t let them out in the street if you’re not watching and/or are not secure in your neighborhood network.
Keep your eyes on them in public places.
For teens consider an escort in taxis.
For safety at home , teach them to lock the door to the house.
Tell them that “stranger rules” apply here.
If they go somewhere with someone else, be sure you really trust them.
Special note: Private schools here won’t release children until their parents or guardians pick them up at the door. Traffic is actually blocked on streets when long lines of parents in their cars form in front of their children’s schools. An attendant or teacher stands in the doorway with a microphone and announces the child’s name. The children—even the wee little ones—have to listen for their names and run quickly to the door where another teacher helps them to pile into their parent’s car and places their book bag in there with them. Safety is a high priority in areas where kidnapping is common.
To avoid loosing car theft you…
…MUST lock it at all times.
…MUST use a steering wheel “club” at all times (when your car is parked : ) ).
…MUST have a removable stereo face and remove it at all times.
…MUST have insurance that includes theft protection.
…MUST have a locked, off-street space in which to park at night.
…SHOULD park in manned parking lots.
…SHOULD not leave anything valuable in it.
CAR THEFT, ONLY WORSE. There is a lovely park in the mountains of Morelos where cars are stolen at gun-point. I have learned through 3 second-hand stories about it and know it’s not just one story being told and re-told. In one case a child was almost taken along with the car. Families are held at gun point and forced to remove their shoes, then the car keys are taken and the car is GONE.
Sometimes in the US our cars give us a false sense of security. Here, in remote areas, they might be a liability. When you are traveling, park in established lots where there are other people around. Or find a place near a home or business. In Mexico, there really is safety in numbers.
If you haven’t read David Eidell’s wonderful article on safety in Mexico mentioned on safety through the people, I recommend it.
Not being attuned to, and exposed to the major safety problems of a new country, when you first arrive you can feel a false sense of security. Mexico is a safe place, but this comes in different ways than in the US and Canada.
Click here to see a description of an e-book prepared by the author of this website.
Safety is an important issue to most Mexicans. Those who study English often misuse the word “insecurity” to describe “safety issues.” In Spanish, the word “inseguridad” means the opposite of security. It is something that they talk and think a lot about. Early in 2005 there was a march of thousands of people from all over Mexico in Mexico City to protest the amount of “inseguridad” that they are forced to live with.
I feel less safe in Mexico than I did in the US. I often try to challenge myself to think about what is driving this perception. It’s all perception anyway. As we all know, we feel like it’s safer to ride in a car than an airplane, while statistics tell us that it’s the opposite. Besides, I force myself to admit that we leave our gate unlocked and our front door open all day and late into the night. The fact is, it is my neighbors and our mutual trust relationship that makes me feel secure in my home.
Here, if anything happened, there are about 6 people within shouting distance. They would all come running to help me out, if I needed it. In the Pacific Northwest, I never even had that many neighbors who knew my name! I spent 10 months as a college student in a basement apartment and didn’t know one SINGLE PERSON on the whole street!
On the other hand, I’ve heard more news of tragedies in the three years since moving to Cuernavaca, than I ever heard in all my 25 years living in my home state. Granted, I never lived in the inner city, but still the contrast is a shock.
In the United States I put my trust in services, such as 911 and the police and fire departments. Safety services in Mexico are under-funded and understaffed. The personnel who administer them are likely under-trained. There is also less public education about the use of these services. The general public expects the worst out of the police departments and expects very little out of other departments. Therefore, in Mexico I put my trust in the people around me. You should create a network of people around you. You should also learn which public safety services are available in Mexico.
The good news is that statistics tell us that most crimes are committed against cars. If you have a car in Mexico you MUST learn about car security in Mexico.
When I first moved to Mexico I was overwhelmed by the amount of home security in evidence. People have 20 foot high walls with razor wire on the top and exposed windows are tightly barred. Protecting your home in Mexico is very important due to the lack of public security services—namely the police.
Hands down, the most terrifying crime common in Mexico is kidnapping. There are a few things you can do to Minimize your risk of becoming a kidnapping victim and to protect your children.
All of this said, I have an anecdote that shows perfectly how things always work out very well in Mexico. My husband was riding his bike at about 30 miles per hour down a hill (wearing a helmet, by the way) when a taxi driver pulled out in front of him and he hit the taxi. He launched into the air and hit the ground with a painful scream. This is the bad part. The good part is that right at that moment a man happened to be crossing the street. The man was a paramedic. My husband received stellar, professional help right in the moment he needed it. This may sound like a lucky break. It’s not. Take it from me, lucky breaks are to be expected in Mexico.
David Eidell has a wonderful article on safety in Mexico. He explains the way the people themselves are your best safety providers.
Here is a web site dedicated to safety in Mexico.
Security Corner offers International Visitors a unique free service: Staying SAFE, in Mexico, promoting the Culture of Crime Prevention. Our monthly column is recommended by the Washington Post’s TRAVEL Section, International Destinations’ Experts’ Safety Tips and Q&A Advisory,more than 20 of the most prestigious newspapers, specialized Travel magazines in the world. We do not represent any commercial, political or governmental interests. Credibility is an Incentive: our only concern is your personal safety.
