The Mexico City government has announced a Christmas gift for the capital’s police force — a 9% pay increase in the coming year.

In a ceremony at the Police University on the weekend, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum announced the raise and presented special Christmas bonuses to officers who have shown outstanding service.

“We’re doing everything we can within the limits of the budget in order to create better working conditions for you. For too long the city’s police have been abandoned,” she said.

Sheinbaum gave the award for Distinguished Police Officer of the Year to officer Roberto Gregorio Razo Palacios, 47, who rescued a woman who had been kidnapped. The award comes with 500,000 pesos (US $26,400) in cash.

Three officers received officer of the month awards of 50,000 pesos (US $2,640).

The president of the Citizens’ Council for Security and Justice, Salvador Guerrero Chirprés, congratulated the officers and said it was the first time that an annual award has been presented.

“You have all collaborated in order to arrest 11,627 people this year,” he said.

Police Chief Omar García Harfuch paid respects to the seven police officers who died in the line of duty during the current administration and promoted 1,000 officers.

Mayor Sheinbaum closed the ceremony by summarizing the security strategy for 2020, which will focus on the causes that drive young people to commit crime.

Source: El Sol de México (sp)