Officer Bob

South of de border down Mexico way, the cops have had their hands full lately. Coupla weeks ago, a bunch a people got trampled when the police tried to clear out a overcrowded disco fulla teenagers. I don’t know why the Mexican kids are so skittish, isn’t everybody used to a buncha riot cops showing up in an enclosed space and and shoving people around to the front door?

Well, trouble takes no siesta for the federales, it seems. This week, it’s news of what dere calling “training” videotapes showin’ up with Mexican cops torturing suspects. When are these people going to learn about the dangers… of videotape? Never, I guess.

Two of the videos — broadcast by national television networks and displayed on newspaper Internet sites — showed what Leon city Police Chief Carlos Tornero described as training for an elite unit that must face “real-life, high-stress situations,” such as kidnapping and torture by organized crime groups.

But many Mexicans saw a sinister side, especially at a moment when police and soldiers across the country are struggling with scandals over alleged abuses.

“They are teaching police … to torture!” read the headline in the Mexico City newspaper Reforma. Watch parts of the video »

Human rights investigators in Guanajuato state, where Leon is located, are looking into the tapes, and the National Human Rights Commission also expressed concern.

“It’s very worrisome that there may be training courses that teach people to torture,” said Raul Plascencia, one of the commission’s top inspectors.