The state of Baja California and the City of Mexicali report a deficit of police officers, according to an independent official.

Even worse, those needed cops cannot be supplied due to the lack of training facilities and the unwillingness of residents to become police officers.

Mexicali Public Safety Citizens Committee Chairman José Angel Záizar told La Voz newspaper for the last 15 years the number of police officers has not significantly increased.

As of this year the city has 1,904 cops, but the figure might see a reduction due to retirement.

Záizar said people see police officers in an unpleasant manner that makes many potential candidates staying away from becoming an agent.

The committee seeks to dignify police agents’ job in order to increase the number of candidates.

According to international standards the city should have 3,000 police officers.

Of the actual cops in Mexicali less than 700 are patrolling the municipality.

Another factor that impacts the lack of police agents is payroll, as the city lacks the funds to hire more agents. “We must also see the way to bring economic stability to the city,” Záizar told the newspaper, by adding that the only tax collected by the city is property tax that is insufficient to pay cop salaries.