09/29/10 – According to data provided by the federal Secretariat of Public Security (Secretaría de Seguridad Pública), more than half of the active police force at the national level has not been subjected to confidence control tests. Of the 427,354 agents that compose all the government levels, in only 206,298 of the cases was “trustworthiness” measured, indicating that an estimated 52% do not provide the institution with protection (blindaje institucional). Of those that have been subjected to a confidence control tests, a total of 98,946 were for new entrants; 21,574 to stay within the police force, group formation, and/or promotion; and lastly 25, 648 were tested for the granting of official firearm licensing.
In addition, specific assessments have been made to 1,193 troops and another 58,937 elements as part of an external support program that looks at municipalities included in the scheme of Subsidies for Municipal Public Safety (Subsidio para la Seguridad Pública Municipal – Subsemun), federal entities, anti-kidnapping agencies, the National Institute of Migration (Instituto Nacional de Migración) and State Centers for Confidence Control (Centros Estatales de Control de Confianza).
Of the national forces, 165,510 police officers belong to municipal forces; 26,928 to ministerial; 196,030 to state; 3,500 to the Federal Ministerial Police force, and 35,386 are federal. The agency in charge of the control exams is the Directorate-General of Confidence Control (Dirección General de Control de Confianza). The test system includes the use of a polygraph, medical toxicology, and a psychological and socio-environmental investigation.
