The Guadalajara Reporter

New Chapala traffic commander aims to build trust with expats

Pedro Garcia Aguilar, the new head man at the Lake Chapala area’s division of the Secretaría de Movilidad, comes to his job with clear leadership goals.

His main focus will be on building public trust in the traffic department’s force and developing a meaningful rapport with the foreign community. Garcia took charge at Chapala headquarters on Monday, April 1. The very next day, though still busy settling into his command post, he reached out to the Guadalajara Reporter to schedule an interview.

Early on in the conversation he lamented that the traffic cop has become a demonized figure in the public eye, commonly reviled as a predatory authoritarian. He recalled that in early days of automotive travel, the officer’s main duty was to stand on a wooden box set up at a busy intersection to direct the flow of traffic, a job that was appreciated and admired by the average citizen. But once traffic lights replaced humans, the officer’s role shifted towards thankless task of enforcement.

“Today we face the challenge of recapturing the mystique, finding a balance between amiable public servant and hard-nosed authority,” he mused.

Garcia is equally eager to build bridges with resident expats to help them gain a strong grasp of the letter and spirit of traffic laws to understand their rights and obligations.  His strategies include getting to know community leaders, producing English translation of core regulations and conducting open forums on pertinent topics.

He stressed that motorists should assume responsibility for their errors, and not fall back on ignorance or the language barrier as pretexts for handing out bribes instead of paying fines through the proper channels. 

The new commander says his door is open to anyone who has a legitimate grievance against his personnel. People who are reluctant to appear personally for fear of reprisals may submit anonymous complaints for his eyes only to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Explain the incident and specify the date, time and place, noting the number appearing on the patrol vehicle involved and the name and number on the officer’s ID badge.