Residents of Mexico’s Petaquillas village have taken matters into their own hands by setting up a community police force to fight a wave of kidnappings and murders in their hometown.
Armed volunteers from across the state of Guerrero patrol the village, carrying out drugs searches and confronting suspected gangs.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
The group follows the rules of a traditional indigenous justice system and was created in response to a spate of violence in the region.
About 500 community police took control of security in the village at the end of January, after requests by locals. Some even tried to block the entry of military vehicles into the village and argued with soldiers.
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. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
Members of the community police patrol in a truck.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
Members of the group travel in the back of a truck after a shootout with men that villagers suspected of belonging to a local gang.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Emiliano Torres
A villager, who supports the presence of the community police, attempts to create a barricade against military vehicles entering Petaquillas.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
A member of the group stands guard during a shootout.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
A member of the community police is seen amongst villagers at the entry to Petaquillas.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
A member of the group searches for a man, who ran away upon seeing the community police.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
Members of the community police walk with a man that they captured.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
A captured man is guarded in a truck.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
A member of the community police searches a bus where they seized bags of marijuana.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
A member of the Community Police opens a bag of marijuana, which they said weighed approximately 40kg, after it was seized in a bus.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
Members of the group carry chickens for their lunch.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
A Heckler-Koch HK G36C assault rifle, which was seized from a house during an operation, is held up by a member of the community police.
. CHILPANCINGO, Mexico. REUTERS/Jorge Dan Lopez
Members of the group lay out weapons and ammunition, which were found in a house, onto the ground.