CALDERON'S PLAN: NAB ANCILLARY CRIMINALS

Mexican President Felipe Calderon's plan for strengthening state
police appears to be one logical way to reduce the country's epidemic
of extortion and kidnappings. They are two of the offshoots of the
ongoing war against drug cartels.

The president spoke in Juarez this week; it was his third visit to our
sister city this year and came as no end seems in sight to the drug
cartels battling each other and law enforcement as the cartels fight
to control the flow of drugs in this area of the border.

Calderon's message seemed in tune with a statement by recent Juarez
Mayor Jose Reyes Ferriz. Reyes Ferriz said local police are not
trained to fight the heavily armed, and well-manned, drug cartel
armies. That is the job of the Mexican military.

But a good local and state police force can subdue the smaller bands
of thugs who have been getting away with extortion and holding kidnap
victims for ransom. Many of these thugs are not believed to be under
the direct wing of the drug cartels, but they many have ancillary
roles in the overall scheme.

Calderon has a tough mission with his plan to consolidate local and
state police. He must root out embedded corruption in law enforcement.
He must sign on officers people trust so the people of Mexico will
help law enforcement in the battle against extortion, kidnapping,
theft and other crimes.

Part of the president's plan is to pay higher salaries and ramp up
training efforts so drug cartels no longer infiltrate law
enforcement's ranks with impunity.

It's scary to hear police in Juarez say they must do what the cartels
say, or they will be killed -- or members of their family will be killed.

So far, the kidnappers and extortionists are working virtually
unimpeded. The Juarez populace is scared. Many businesses have closed;
many citizens have fled the city.

Calderon told Juarenses, "It is of my interest to make sure that
(crime) doesn't happen and to punish the guilty parties when it does."

So far, the Mexican government has been set on its heels in the war
against cartels, and because of inner corruption, it's had little
effect on crime in general.

This plan, aimed at people who work with the drug cartels, is a war
that can be won by honest, better-trained police.