Cancún Police Learn English for Safer Tourism

CANCÚN — With the promise of integrating the "best police force in the history of Cancún," Municipal President Ana Paty Peralta led the graduation ceremony for 39 officers of the first generation of the Initial Training Course for Proximity Police. For the first time, cadets received instruction in conversational police English.

"Today you receive an enormous responsibility, to be the first generation of cadets from this academy to make Cancún a safer place with the best police force in its history," stated the mayor, highlighting that 27 of the graduates are women.

The ceremony included demonstrations of close-order drill, self-defense, the use of riot control equipment, and, as a novelty, basic commands and phrases in English. According to the new security narrative, a "Stop!" or a "Hands up, please" could make a difference in community proximity and the treatment of tourists in distress.

The Municipal Secretary of Citizen Security, Jaime Padilla Barrientos, recognized the dedication of the cadets during their 1,080 hours of training. Meanwhile, the police spokesperson, Juan Antonio Arámbula, emphasized that the Cancún academy is undergoing a "profound reconversion" that now includes tactical and linguistic skills.

In total, 35 of the graduates are from Benito Juárez and 4 are from Puerto Morelos. Seventy percent are women, which was presented as part of the transformation with a gender perspective within the force.

With the "A" classification granted to the Academy, the municipal administration is touting a model of excellence for training police officers with discipline, proximity… and now also with a basic English manual for tourists and visitors.