Mexicali police warned by Human Rights Commission

Over a year after Mexicali police officers assaulted a detained individual in a patrol car, the Baja California State Human Rights Commission (CEDHBC) has issued a warning against the law enforcement agency for torture.

The March 2019 incident was recorded by surveillance cameras located inside the police car.

The videos showed a handcuffed individual who was beaten by police officers, who also stole the detained man’s wallet. The videos were made public in November.

Back then, Mexicali Police Chief María Elena Andrade Ramírez said she was not aware of the incident, which occurred during the administration of Mayor Gustavo Sanchez.

The commission recommended that the department educate officers about human rights, train police agents to prevent similar offenses from occurring again, and provide certificates of compliance with the warning.

If the warning is rejected by the police, the commission can request an explanation to the Assembly.