New Police commander in Juarez

[Dan and Judy 614]

In Juarez, Lt. Col. Julian Leyzaola Perez takes on cartels

El Paso Times Editorial Board

It appears Juárez has hired one tough cop. Unlike many of his counterparts in Mexico, Lt. Col. Julian Leyzaola Perez doesn't think only the federal government should fight organized crime.

Leyzaola was named to command the Juárez police force last week after holding the same position in Tijuana before retiring last November.

As The Associated Press reported, Leyzaola sleeps in an army barracks and personally cruises the city to "hunt" for criminals.

We'll see how this pans out. But it seems like this will be a change in Juárez. As the AP reported, "Many Mexican mayors and local police chiefs refuse to attack drug kingpins, saying it is the federal government's job ..."

Just prior to leaving office, former Juárez Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz made similar remarks at a border conference held at the University of Texas at El Paso. He said local police were not equipped or trained to fight the well-armed drug cartels.

New Juárez Mayor Hector Murguia said his new commander comes with the praise and backing of Mexico President Felipe Calderon and Chihuahua Gov. Cesar Duarte.

Last year, some 3,100 people were killed in Juárez, and there have been some 500 murders so far in 2011.

Leyzaola comes amid some controversy about possibly beating confessions out of persons he's arrested. But in Tijuana, the drug war has effectively ended with the Sinaloa cartel now in command of the drug flow.

Leyzaola is tough. And his description of crime bosses is: " ... Fat and disgusting; paunchy, malformed, slimy cockroaches; scoundrels."

Now if that's not a breath of fresh air for Juárez ... at least it's a breath of one cop's threat against the drug lords.

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http://www.policeone.com/international/articles/3423035-In-Juarez-Lt-Col-Julian-Leyzaola-Perez-takes-on-cartels/

If this guy survives long enough, He will clean up Juarez