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Border & Immigration

New Baja Police Team To Protect Coastal Tourists

New Baja Police Team To Protect Coastal Tourists
Mexican officials are looking to the San Diego Police to help train a new team of Mexican tourist police working along the Mexican coast.

Mexican officials are looking to the San Diego Police to help train a new team of Mexican tourist police working along the Mexican coast.

Mexican officials say officers with the new police group will speak English and Spanish.

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Cesar Santiesteban, who's Ensenada's assistant chief of public security, says the officers will also train with the San Diego Police to learn how to be sensitive to foreign visitors. "Many tourists complain that police approach with their gun drawn. With the help of the San Diego police, we'll change that practice."

Two years ago, many U.S. visitors were scared off visiting Baja's coast after a few U.S. tourists were robbed at gunpoint. There have been no reports of similar attacks since. Tourists have not been caught up in recent drug cartel violence. Nevertheless, violence, long border waits, the economy and swine flu have caused tourists to stay away.