Federal Police (Mexico)

The Federal Police (), formerly known as the Policía Federal Preventiva (Federal Preventive Police), are the uniformed federal police force of Mexico. The agency is directed by the Secretariat of Public Security It was created in 1998 by the merger of several other federal police agencies (the Federal Highway Police, the Fiscal Police, a Military Police Brigade and an Interior Ministry intelligence unit) in order to better co-ordinate the fight against the growing threat of drug cartels. Typically, PF officers are heavily armed and clad in blue/black fatigues. On account of its heavily armed agents, its culture, and its origins, the PF may be considered a gendarmerie. They are sometimes referred to by the slang term "Federales".

History and Organization

The Federal Police was created as the Federal Preventive Police in 1998 by the initiative of President Ernesto Zedillo (1994–2000) to prevent and combat crime throughout Mexico. The PF has been assuming its authority in stages over time, as its budget has grown and it has combined and reorganized police departments from major agencies such as those for migration, treasury, and highways. Many large bus stations and airports in Mexico are assigned a PF detachment....
Read More