New law, cameras will aid against police corruption

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) --Authorities began cracking down Monday on motorists
who offer bribes to police, the latest effort to combat rampant corruption among Mexico
City officers.

Officials are getting help from a new law and 172 video cameras. For years the
cameras have been used for traffic control, but now they're zeroing in on police
making traffic stops. The city plans to install 100 more.

One of those cameras was apparently responsible for detecting an alleged
bribery incident Monday, leading to the first arrest under the new law.

The 22-year-old man allegedly offered $9 to the a police tow truck crew to
avoid having his illegally-parked car impounded. The two policemen involved in
the incident were also arrested.

Though such bribery has long been against the law, officials have seldom
enforced cases of $5 or $10 bribes aimed at avoiding tickets.

But the new city law which went into effect Monday sets jail terms of three
months to three years for offering even relatively small bribes.

However, the program doesn't appear to have been the work of former New
York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was hired by Mexico City as an
anti-crime consultant last year on a $4.3 million contract.

Corruption is a long-standing problem among police throughout Mexico. In the
most highly-publicized case, the country's top anti-drug official was arrested in
1997 and later sentenced to 40 years on drug, bribery and weapons charges.

Mexico City police chief Marcelo Ebrard hopes the crackdown will spell an
end to an era in which many motorists fill their ashtrays with loose change to
give to cops.

"Any citizen we find offering a bribe will be arrested," Ebrard told reporters.
Ebrard pledged to fire and prosecute any bribe-taking police, as well.

Some see it as blaming the victim; after all, tow-trucks in Mexico City will often
chain up their prey and tow the vehicle half a block, then wait for the motorist
to appear in order to solicit a bribe.

Copyright 2003 The Associated Press.