Tulum, Quintana Roo, has beefed up its security with 10 new patrol vehicles and six quad bikes after a string of violent incidents in recent months. 

Two tourists were killed in a shooting in the Quintana Roo tourist destination on October 21, provoking the German Foreign Office to advise German citizens in the Riviera May not to leave their hotel complexes.

Governor Carlos Joaquín said the Quintana Roo tourist destination had grown rapidly and needed to continue to do so in an orderly way to prevent crime. He added that the image of the city needed to be improved, for it to be seen as a successful, internationally recognized destination.

Joaquín pointed to investment in technology, CCTV and a focus on lowering violence as the key to overcoming violent crime. 

The pickup truck patrol vehicles are destined for the city center, the coastal area and hotel zone. Eight will be put at the disposal of the police and two to municipal transit authorities. 

The six quad bikes were donated by local businesses and will patrol the coastal area and the beach. 

Mayor Marciano Dzul said coordination on security matters was essential. “Today Tulum needs to feel safe. That is why I thank the governor for his support to make this possible. Today we are launching these units to patrol the streets of the municipality: coordinated work will always give better results,” he said.

However, some of Tulum’s problems with violent crime are caused by the security forces themselves. Police were accused of responsibility for the death of a Salvadoran woman in March when they violently pinned her to the ground, breaking her back during her arrest. A fortnight later, videos circulated on social media of another violent arrest. 

Mexico News Daily