Mexico plans new 30,000-strong nationwide police force

Mexico will set up a new 30,000-strong police force -- The Federal Police Corp -- to strengthen anti-crime efforts, Secretary of Public Security Genaro Garcia Luna said on Wednesday.

Garcia Luna said that the new force will redesign crime-fighting strategies and try to help improve the efficiency of other federal police agencies.

Last Friday, the Mexican government decided to bring together the Federal Investigation Agency (AFI) and the Federal Preventative Police (PFP), to make anti-crime coordination more effective.

"In order to operate more effectively, the Federal Police Corp plans to set up four new departments: the first is strategy and intelligence; the second, citizen's participation, prevention and human rights; the third, the federal jail system; and the fourth is institutional development and innovation," the secretary said.

He added that the new force will also work alongside the nation's existing forces and coordinate in operations like that in the western state of Michoacan last week.

Source: Xinhua