44 Police Officers Killed so Far in the State of Chihuahua

Nearly two years after the operation task force was implemented in the state of Chihuahua called "Operation Joint Chihuahua" the numbers of people killed has increased considerably, where also a large number of police officers have been killed in the line of duty .

This operation, besides having a huge economic cost, represents the fight against organized crime, it also comes with a cost of police officers who have lost their lives for the safety of Chihuahua and has taken a major blow to police agencies and families .

The figures highlight that the performance of police officers in 2008 was concentrated in Ciudad Juarez with 91 executed; in Chihuahua there was 48, 6 in the city of Parral, 6 in Villa Ahumada, 5 in Aldama, 3 in Guadalupe Distrito Bravo; 3 in Janos and 2 in Praxedis and G. Guerrero, for a total of 164 slain officers.

Some of those attacks against the police left dismembered a full police forces, like the cases of Aldama, Villa Ahumada, Namiquipa, Janos, Nuevo Casas Grandes and Galeana.

The figures also highlight that in 2009 alone so far at least 44 elements of different police agencies, including military, federal police, ministries, state and municipal police of Chihuahua died in the line of duty.

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The Sanctuary City

Today is Election Day for the city’s mayoral race that includes incumbent Martin “Marty” Chavez, Richard Romero and Richard "RJ" Berry. The Albuquerque Journal polls show that Berry a Republican leads with 31%, while Democrat Chavez is at 26% and Democrat Romero is at 24%. Martin Chavez has name recognition and had been consider a “shoe in” coming in to the campaign but this election year things have taken a new surprising twist. Both Romero and Berry have come after Chavez swinging everything they can muster and the effecting result is visible in the poll.

One of the most sticky points and controversial issues that have been raised is if Albuquerque is a “sanctuary City.” A sanctuary city is a term given to a city in the United States that follows certain practices that protect illegal immigrants. These practices can be by law (de jure) or they can be by habit (de facto). The term generally applies to cities that do not allow municipal funds or resources to be used to enforce federal immigration laws, usually by not allowing police to inquire about one's immigration status. The designation has no legal meaning.

Mayor Chavez has been criticized for enforcing a city policy that supposedly prohibits city police from questioning suspected foreigners of their legal status. For some time now the local media has been having a field day reporting the issue of immigration and the city police that some say makes Albuquerque a sanctuary city. According to a report on KOB-TV, Albuquerque Police Department officers who find illegal immigrants will no longer contact federal immigration agents or the Border Patrol.

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