A group of 50 uniformed Chapala police staged a demonstration outside City Hall on Friday, March 15 to demand respect for their labor rights and the dismissal of Public Security Commissioner Alfredo Ulloa, whom they accuse of mistreatment.
The grievances include non-payment for overtime worked during this year’s Carnaval festivities, lack of weapons for all officers, delayed delivery of new patrol vehicles acquired back in February, and questions about conditions of the life insurance policy contracts they signed at that time that apparently put their seniority at risk.
Complaints against their boss concern harassment and gender abuse in the workplace and unjustified punishments with forced reassignment to duties as unarmed private guards. Officers who have been working for more than six years categorized as temporary employees are asking for permanent status to guarantee job security with the upcoming change of government.
They announced that they would be working under protest until these issues were resolved.
Interim Mayor Gamaliel Soto Pérez eventually appeared to listen to the officers’ demands. He promised that problems with the insurance policies would be sorted out and Carnaval bonuses paid that same day. According to the government’s press office, the new patrol units were to be equipped with radios and turned over to police headquarters by Wednesday afternoon, bringing the patrol fleet up to 19 functioning units and six more out of service.
Other matters, including the petitioned dismissal of Ulloa, had not been resolved at press time.