What town will be the safest city for visitors in the World? Dr. Peter Tarlow and the Tourism Police Leadership Team in Mexico City wants it to be Mexico City.
According to Dr. Peter Tarlow, there is no doubt that Mexico City has decided to turn the page in matters of tourism policing. Tourism policing in Mexico City is much more than mere smiles or giving directions.
Dr. Peter Tarlow head of Safertourism.com is currently visiting Mexico City and sharing his assignment. Safertourism is part of the TravelNewsGroup, also the owner of eTurboNews.
Dr. Tarlow’s report:
Buenos Días de La Ciudad de México! Yesterday was a very busy day. I taught all day at Mexico City’s world-famous police academy. In reality, it is not just a police academy but an institution. The academy has transformed itself, from a place merely to train police, first into a college and finally into a full university where its police students can research and receive doctorates in multiple aspects of police work. The “academy” touches every part of law enforcement and policing, and stands as an attraction in itself.
My small ‘corner” of this academic police world is tourism policing. Those studying tourism policing have been undergoing intensive ten-hour days of six days a week for the last two months. I am responsible for several specific areas and have spent countless hours in meetings to determine exactly what materials we want these soon-to-be tourism police officers to know and how we will “use” them to change the image of Mexican policing.
I have some 350 students in my tourism policing classes. That large number is students will soon increase rapidly. Within a year we hope to increase that number to about 1,000 students and within two years to have on the streets of Mexico City a tourism police force of about 3,000 men and women. These jumps in personnel will require a great amount of teaching, fieldwork, and creativity.
The Mexican police forces traditionally are semi-military units with a great deal of military discipline. It took me a while to get used to the fact that when I enter a room, hundreds of people stand at attention and wait until I give permission to be seated. The same is true when a police cadet asks a question or desires to tell me something. She or he stands at attention and only sits when I give permission.
Tourism Police Leadership Team in Mexico City
Tourism Police Leadership Team in Mexico City
There is no doubt that Mexico City has decided to turn the page in matters of tourism policing. This vast city, one of the world’s five biggest cities, has come to realize that without trained police in tourism security, it is risking its economy. Tourism policing is much more than mere smiles or giving directions. It requires a deep understanding of multiple cultures and languages, caring for ecological and environmental issues, changing negative perceptions, and developing proactive policies.
Today I will be meeting with political figures and with foreign embassy personnel. My goal is to help México City to become not only a world-class city but one of the world’s safest tourism cities.
As the saying goes, our time is short, and the task is great There is much to do! Safertourism.com and Dr. Peter Tarlow are preparing for the task.
Love from Mexico City!
