Playa del Carmen Police to Strengthen LGBTQI+ Victim Support Training

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The city’s specialized police unit will continue to support LGBTQI+ residents, with officers set to receive additional training to ensure victims are treated without discrimination, officials announced.

Carlos Montesinos, the city’s secretary of public safety, said the work falls under the Specialized Group for Attention to Family and Gender Violence (Geavig). Asked about the so-called “rainbow patrols” and how the police currently serve that community, Montesinos highlighted the unit’s role.

He explained that the goal is for specialized officers to follow response protocols that take into account each victim’s circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, or age.

“What we’re going to do is reinforce the work so that this sensitivity remains, so that each of the Geavig officers has it and can give a victim proper treatment,” he said.

Montesinos said that from the first contact, officers must identify the person’s immediate needs and determine the type of intervention required. When urgent medical care is needed, officers can help transport the person to a hospital. For those in need of emotional support, the department has male and female psychologists on staff.

The program also includes free legal counseling and accompaniment to the appropriate authorities when a victim decides to file a complaint.

Montesinos said the department wants to strengthen differentiated treatment and validation of victims’ needs.

“It’s very important to have differentiated treatment and validate the feelings of victims,” he said.