Mexico has cracked down on alleged corruption and incompetence in its federal police on Monday, firing 3200 officers, about 10 per cent of the force. NOTE: The Philippine should take this as a hint and clean up their SWAT team after ex-cop Rolando Mendoza killed at least 8 hostages in a bus hijack in Manila, weeks ago. Yes, the Philippine SWAT team botched the hostages rescue effort.
Back to Mexico drastic police department clean up, top police commissioner Facundo Rosas told a news conference the officers had failed to pass "confidence tests", including 465 denounced for suspected crimes.
Another 1485 officers from the force of 34,500 would be laid off in a second phase, Rosas said, adding that investigations continue.
The massive purge is only the latest in a series of efforts to clean up Mexico's notoriously corrupt police, in a campaign which has become increasingly urgent as drug violence escalates across the country.
More than 28,000 people have died in suspected drug attacks since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown, involving about 50,000 troops, on organised crime in 2006.
North-eastern areas have seen a surge in brutality in recent days, including the discovery of 72 massacred migrants, the murder of a mayor and five apparent bomb blasts.
The military has assumed anti-drug patrols in some spots because local police are considered unreliable.
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