Tijuana has made body-worn cameras mandatory for all municipal police officers, shifting from a voluntary policy that let cops choose whether to wear them. Mayor Ismael Burgueño formally issued the first batch of 400 cameras to officers on April 25, investing nearly 10 million pesos (about $575,000) in the initial rollout.
The city’s police force numbers roughly 2,400 officers, meaning the first phase covers about one-sixth of the department. Burgueño said officers assigned to high-traffic tourist areas, including Zona Río, downtown Tijuana, and Avenida Internacional, will be equipped first. Motorcycle patrol officers were among the earliest to receive the devices.
New Regulations Back Up the Mandate
Under previous administrations, Tijuana had purchased body cameras but never required officers to use them. Burgueño said his government changed course by writing enforcement rules before buying equipment. “They purchased body-worn cameras, but their use was not regulated,” the mayor said. “When we began analyzing the possibility of acquiring body-worn cameras, the first thing we did was establish regulations.”
Officers who fail to activate or carry their cameras now face disciplinary sanctions. “If they do not use it, there will be a corresponding sanction, depending on the situation,” Burgueño said. “It is now mandatory; officers must carry and use their body-worn cameras.”
Footage Control and Accountability
All recorded footage will be managed exclusively by the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana). The video can be used in misconduct investigations and internal affairs reviews. The cameras complement existing dashboard cameras already installed in patrol vehicles.
Burgueño said the cameras are intended to prevent “any form of extortion or corruption.” When asked whether the program was a response to complaints about officers soliciting bribes, the mayor said only that “cameras will make officers more accountable.”
Recent Incidents Add Urgency
The rollout comes after three Tijuana officers were recently suspended for handcuffing a man to a moving patrol car, an incident that drew widespread condemnation. Local business and tourism leaders have also pressed city hall over alleged police extortion of visitors crossing from San Diego.
Tijuana has a longer history with body cameras than most Mexican cities. An NPR report from 2015 documented an earlier pilot program that made Tijuana the first municipality in Mexico to deploy the technology. That effort eventually stalled without mandatory regulations. City officials said they plan to acquire more cameras in future phases to cover the full force.
This story was first reported by Baja California Post.