Puerto Vallarta Threat Assessment FINAL - Autosaved

THOMAS DALE & ASSOCIATES
Security/Investigations 869 N. Douglas St. El Segundo, CA 90245 office: 310-615-9990 fax: 310-615-9991 www.tdaltd.net and www.tdaosac.com
Puerto Vallarta Threat Assessment To: Thomas Dale & Associates
April 19, 2011
From: Gilbert Moya Background: Agent Moya was contracted by Thomas Dale & Associates to conduct a Security/Threat assessment for the Tourist Bureau of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Moya went to Puerto Vallarta (PV) on April 6th through the 13th and gathered necessary information to present a comprehensive report in relation to all aspects of tourist security. Scope: The geographic area of study is the resort city of Puerto Vallarta (PV) in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. Although the PV ex-pat population and tourist areas extend into the neighboring northern state of Nayarit known as Nuevo Vallarta, this study will concentrate on old PV. The PV airport in Jalisco is the same destination for all tourists/ex-pats and accumulated area data is relevant to the study. Methodology: Since tourism is the cornerstone of the PV economy, all aspects of PV society were important to the study. Moya began with interviews of domestic as well as international tourists, American and Canadian Consuls, retired ex-pats, time share members, seasonal boaters, business owners, hospital administrators, gay community business representatives, expat Health insurance professionals, cabbies, conventioneers, and honeymooners. The interviews focused on three areas; do you feel safe in PV? If not why; Have you been a victim or know someone who was a victim of a crime? If so, were you satisfied with the outcome? Are you aware of the US government cautions regarding travel to Mexico? If so, what helped you decide on Puerto Vallarta? The interviews were followed up by requests to local law enforcement sources for crime data and Department deployment. The Civil Protection Dept. (FIMA) was also consulted regarding natural disasters and is discussed later. In addition to personal interviews, police statistics, and official tourist government sources, the following sources were also referred to and can be provided upon request: WWW Public News outlets US state Dept. Overseas Advisory Counsel Regional Security Office, US Consulate, Guadalajara Puerto Vallarta English periodicals Puerto Vallarta Gay publications

Puerto Vallarta City web site City of Anaheim Jalisco Tourism Bureau
Area Description: The city of Puerto Vallarta (PV) is located on the West coast of Mexico in the State of Jalisco whose capitol is Guadalajara. PV is the major sea access for the state of Jalisco and a destination for many domestic tourists. It is solely supported by tourist income. Other resort destinations such as Manzanillo to the south and Mazatlan to the North have container terminals and consequential smuggling potential. PV has no sea container capability and enjoys cruise ship access from many US ports. The cruise ships account for the majority of its short term (1 day) visitors. The city of PV is situated on the Eastern edge of Banderas Bay (Flag bay) which is 180 degrees in circumference
Old Vallarta is approximately 1.5 miles in length and 4 to six blocks deep. It is 12 above sea level with a 12 sea wall boardwalk (malecon). The old city is back dropped by the Sierra Madre Mountains with only one road into and out of town (Highway 200). To the south along the foothills, resort hotels, time share and private homes ring the bay. Isolated coves can be reached by boat and are popular tourist destinations. So are jungle tours and water sports such as snorkeling, sailing and fishing (Refer to attachments for approved tourist venders). A four

lane road circles old PV at a higher elevation if a commuter wants to avoid the traffic congestion in town but it reconnects with #200 north and south of town. North of old PV the topography levels out to an alluvial plain and this is where resort construction has boomed along the shore and around the airport. There are major shopping centers containing popular stores such as Wal-Mart, Costco and Sams club. This is also where Municipal Police headquarters, Jalisco state District Attorney, State prison and the Army/Navy bases are located.
Police Services: There are three main police services, each with a different function. It is important to know the differences since a tourist might have an expectation that processes are similar to the US. Policia Municipal: These are the Municipal police responsible for street crime suppression and traffic control. They are usually the first responders to an incident effecting public safety. They have arrest powers for crimes committed in their presence however they do not take crime reports. They protect crime scenes until the arrival of state police. In downtown PV they are numerous in number, not necessarily due to high crime but to the lack of traffic controls. The downtown area is the main attraction for tourists causing high density pedestrian traffic. All streets are single one way lanes with no traffic lights so uniformed officers can be seen on many corners for traffic control. They also keep the area free of vagrants and beggars. Some 60 municipal police dress in white which distinguish them as tourist police. Most are bilingual. There are assigned to the downtown area 20 per shift. Due to the minimal use of traffic signs and lights, the driving habits of resident commuters or tourists driving rentals are very bad. Traffic infractions are common. This can lead to a negative contact with the municipal police. City police undergo a four month academy and work 12 hour shifts, Two days on and one day off.

Municipal Police and Tourist Police on foot patrol.
Policia Ministerial: These are Jalisco state police who are called by the Municipal police to investigate serious crimes, interview witnesses and take crime reports. All crime reports are taken at the Public Ministry office under oath in the presence of a District Attorney. Since most criminal procedures are documentary in nature, it is not necessary for victims to be present at later proceedings. The difficulty lies in the time it takes to make the report which can impact short term visitors desire to file a complaint.
Policia Federal (PFP): This is the Federal Uniformed Police who conduct road blocks in search of drug or weapons smuggling. They also perform traffic enforcement on federal highways and are first responders in rural areas outside city jurisdictions. They are usually better equipped and required to have some college education. They are deployed in three 8 hour shifts.
Private Security: There are numerous private security companies that render services for commercial purposes such as hotels, gated communities, shopping centers and restaurants. Armed services are also available for banks, jewelry stores etc. There are no assembly plants in PV and there is labor union stability.
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Natural Disasters: Proteccion Civil is the equivalent of FIMA in preparation and response to a natural disaster. Since PV lies between the base of a major forested mountain range and a large bay, it is vulnerable to fire and high wave action or Tsunami. PV is subject to occasional Pacific storms or hurricane activity where a wave surge might top the sea wall (malecon). The PV hurricane season is not as active as the Atlantic season however, it is during the tourist season, (December to April). The last hurricane to cause an evacuation from PV was Kenna in 2002. The hurricane was a category four and generated a 15 surge that topped the sea wall and flooded many sea side hotels. Fortunately, there was ample warning and no resulting injuries. Damage was significant and required many months to repair. There are three small faults outside the bay and the San Andreas Fault is 72 miles to the west. For alarm purposes there are siren towers throughout the area to alert residents of pending high wave action. Proteccion Civil has evacuation plans in place which were tested on April 9, 2011 and earthquake sensors are in process of being installed along the coast to automatically activate the sirens. For the present telephonic and WEB alerts are being utilized. In the event of an alarm, the downtown area and hotels have large directional evacuation signs posted in major intersections. There are eight designated emergency shelters available to the PV residents. Building construction in old PV as well as the newer areas is primarily cement block with rebar. However, due to the large amount of glass for the purposes of enjoying the ocean views it can be dangerous in high wind or rain conditions.

Tsunami Alarm tower Medical Services: There are three major private hospitals in PV. The Ameri-Med Hospital is located near the Marina Plaza. A new four story facility is due to open very soon in the same area. In addition to its regular recovery rooms, they have 6 intensive care rooms and a 24 hour bilingual staffed emergency room. The doctors staff is contracted by the hospital to provide services and bill the hospital. They accept all US insurances and Canadian travel insurance. They also have the latest equipment (CT-Scan, MRI) and specialize in internal medicine. The hospital has contracts with all the cruise lines and can also dispatch a doctor to the larger hotels. It has its own ambulance service and also offers cosmetic surgery services. Address: Neptune Plaza, 322-10023.

The San Javier Marina Hospital is near the downtown area and has been in PV for 10 years. Its doctors are both contracted and associates of the hospital. They offer all the same services as the Ameri-Med including dialysis but only take insurances affiliated with Blue Cross International. They do not accept Medi-Care since the US government does not pay for out of country treatment. Others that do not pay are United Health, Pacific Care and health Net. The hospital has 25 beds and two suites. It also has its own blood bank. Security is internal at the hospital with 24 hour guard service, video recording and card key access to sensitive areas. The same specialists in PV are contracted by most private hospitals. The only procedure not offered is transplant services. Their parent hospital in Guadalajara is well known and can provide ancillary support services by use of their air ambulance. Guadalajara is 40 minutes by helicopter. Address: San Javier Marina, Fco. Medina Ascencio #2760, PV MX, Tel, 322 226 1010.
The San Javier Marina Hospital The Mexican Naval Base Hospital located near the cruise terminal has 24 hour outpatient emergency room services and open to the public. In addition there are many additional outpatient clinics that are indicated on all tourist maps. The most common tourist injuries are fractures or soft tissue injuries due to aggressive physical activities. The most common medical issues for ex-pats are circulatory problems. Patients are required to pay for their deductible up front with a credit card. A problem encountered by the hospitals is the expectation by Canadians for service when they did not get travel insurance. Apparently, the Canadian system is socialized and has no value outside Canada. Neither does
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Medi-Care. Tourists should verify that their secondary insurance provides coverage out of county. (See page 15 for medical insurance information). Population Density: The total fixed population of PV from the southern tip of the bay to the Nayarit border is approximately 325,000. It is estimated there are 45,000 Americans and 2000 Canadians among them. The area of study is approximately 75/100 sq. miles. Most of the population is within ten miles of the coast. Tourist Activity: During 2009 official reports indicate there were 3,500,000 visitors. This is a drop of 10% over 2008. During 2008 the visitor rate was fairly even between domestic and international travelers however, in 2009 the international visitor rate dropped 18.5% due in large part to the H1N1 influenza epidemic. Tourists from the US totaled 62% of total international arrivals to PV. California accounted for 30% of those visitors. Washington State was second with 12%. As a result, approximately 2,170,000 tourists from the US visited PV in 2009. 150,000 to 200,000 were from Canada. 217 Cruise ship arrivals are scheduled for PV during 2011 (Refer pages 12 and 13 for tourist stats). Crime Suppression: The municipal police and the PFP number approximately 450. This is a ratio of .72 per 1000 of resident population. The additional visitor pool of 3.5 million, equals 10,000 average daily visitors. The police merely adjust deployment to 24 hour shifts during special events such as holy week or spring break. The municipal police issued 4515 citations during the month of March, 2011. This reflects the aggressive traffic control resented by the general driving public. From January 2010 to the present, 10 officers have been fired for serious crimes and 89 have been disciplined for misconduct. The low number of MX police reports may be a combination of procedural inefficiency and reluctance by the public to file reports for fear of retribution or frustration (See page #8 for crime statistics). Communications: All local Law Enforcement is tied into the CARE radio system. It is a centralized reception point using the public emergency phone equivalent of 911. In Mexico it is 066. The communication center is located next to the Jalisco State prison north of the airport. A request to 066 is forwarded to the nearest law enforcement mobile unit which is equipped with GPS or a pedestrian unit if in the downtown area. The CARE control center also monitors 36 pan and tilt cameras located in major intersections and high tourist areas. 12 additional cameras are in emergency kiosks located in the downtown area. An emergency button at the

kiosk opens a line to 066, sounds an audible alarm and video records the caller in real time.
US Consulate: Consul Kelly Trainer, Paseo de los Cocoteros #85, Sur Paradise Plaza, Interior Local L-7, Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit. CP- 63732 Tel: 322 222 0069 & 322 223 3301. Hotel Security: Security measures vary from no security at small hotels other than a fire alarm to the large hotels which have crisis plans for every contingency, digital video cameras, internal security, card key access and loss prevention programs to protect the guest and hotel assets. Many gated community complexes rent a Municipal Police vehicle for use by their guards. Airport Security: The Puerto Vallarta airport receives an average of 2950 domestic and international flights a year. It has a permanent staff of Federal Police to oversee security operations. The military has a visible presence in the secure passenger area and a private security company is responsible for clearing passenger luggage. The airport and its operating procedures are inspected annually by the US FAA. Comparative analysis: The City of Puerto Vallarta is approximately the same population as Anaheim, California which also has a high number of visitors to many attractions and numerous hotels. (Refer to Anaheim web site for other details).
Anaheim Crime Data for 2009 This city is safer than 25% of the cities in the US. Anaheim violent crimes, Population: 327,357 MURDER RAPE ROBBERY ASSAULT REPORTED TOTAL 10 102 493 925

RATE PER 1,000
0.03
0.31
1.51
2.83
Puerto Vallarta Crime Data 2009, Population 325,000 MURDER RAPE ROBBERY REPORTED TOTAL ARRESTS: Drug related: 4 335 0 63 BURG 14 Guns recovered: 11
Alcohol related: 1467
(Refer: http://dotnet.puertovallarta.gob.mx/oldsite/TmpTransparencia/transparencia/Informes/pdf /IG_3er_07_09/Informe_C8.pdf) The US State Department reported 6 non-natural American deaths from January 2007 to December, 2010 in Puerto Vallarta. One died in an auto accident, 2 drowned, 1 suicide and two other fatal accidents. That means 6 American accidental deaths out of 15,000,000 visitors. (Refer: http://www.travel.state.gov/law/family_issues/death/death_600.html).
Testimonials: Jim/Carol, Minneapolis; We started coming here ten years ago due to a company condo offered as a perk by the company. Now we stay at hotels for a week at a time. We love the culture, weather and people. Dave/Marie, Washington DC; We have a MX only time share. This is our third visit to PV; the first was to Acapulco where shopping downtown was real scary. Then we tried Cancun where the only area we felt safe was on the strip. We havent had any problems but in hindsight we dont have the flexibility to travel outside MX. Roger/Diana, Yacht owners; We come down here every year for the winter months. Weve never had a problem. Tim, Real Estate; Ive lived in PV for eight years and never been a victim. I know things are going on but I am always alert and use common sense wherever I go.
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Pam, Insurance consultant: I have lived in PV for 22 years and never had a problem until recently when someone grabbed the cell phone from my hand. Things are changing but it is still safer than anywhere in the US. Sid, Gay boutique hotel owner; I have lived here a long time and while I have not had any issues Im aware of several instances where gays have been victims of street crime and the police have not been supportive. I dont think there is gay discrimination, just life style vulnerability. (Refer gay guide advice attachment) Gira, Atlanta, Georgia, this is our first time in PV; we chose it because of the best points deal with Marriott. We were aware of the warnings but decided to take a chance. We feel safe. Weve gone to town once to the marketplace but they are all the same. Jim/Monica, Washington State: We are time share owners and have never had a bad experience in Puerto Vallarta. Weve come every year for 7 years. We are aware of the government cautions so we stay away from other locations where our time share is honored. In general we dont pay attention to the local news while we are here. Pam, Insurance consultant: I have lived in PV for 22 years and never had a problem until recently when someone grabbed the cell phone from my hand. Things are changing but it is still safer than anywhere in the US.
Security Perspective:
As illustrated, Puerto Vallarta has a large ex-pat resident population and multi-million visitors every year. The number of negative events involving foreigners or non-foreigners is fractional compared to other resort cities in Mexico or the United States. Its support services are above average and focused on serving the visiting public. According to the Federal Police, the limited land transit makes the smuggling of guns and drugs through Puerto Vallarta very difficult. It lies between the influence of the La Familia cartel in Michoacan to the south and the Sinaloa cartel in the North. Situational awareness should be practiced whenever you are out of your customary environment.
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Recommendations: With the emergence of social websites as a popular communication medium, periodically monitor them for negative or unfounded criticism and offer rebuttals when appropriate. Prior to travel consult your travel agent for travel/medical insurance. Also check your primary carrier for out of country programs. Attachments Index: Police discipline report .. Police Deployment Easter Week, April 2011 Tourist arrivals during 2009 Tourist origin tables Traffic citation summaries Medical Insurance Guide Gay Safety Advisory Vallarta Tourist Telephone Directory Attachment # 1, Police Discipline Report Page 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Attachment #2 (Easter week 2011 Deployment)
Elementos Federales, Estatales y Municipales resguardarn la ciudad Listo Operativo para Semana Santa y Pascua
Domingo 10 de Abril del 2011 Publicado por Jefatura de prensa el Lunes 11 de Abril del 2011, 12:00 PM
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El operativo se relazar del da 15 abril al 1 mayo del 2010 Seguridad Publica Municipal participa resguardando la ciudad con 416 elementos trabajando las 24 horas del da En una reunin previa a la temporada vacacional se afinaron detalles sobre el Operativo de Semana Santa y Pascua en el que participan autoridades civiles y militares que se encuentran encargados del resguardo de la ciudadana, as como directivos de los departamentos de seguridad publica y proteccin civil, tanto municipales, estatales y federales. El objetivo principal de este plan es establecer e implementar medidas y actividades preventivas, para reducir o eliminarlos riesgos del municipio as como establecer los mecanismos de operacin y coordinacin entre las instituciones participantes con la finalidad de salvaguardar la integridad fsica de las personas, sus bienes y su entorno. La Cobertura Operativa se delimitar en tres zonas (Zona norte, Centro y Sur) para brindar una respuesta ptima y Oportuna a los visitantes. La Supervisin de la operacin quedar establecida a travs del Unidad Municipal de Proteccin Civil, recorriendo los puntos de mayor afluencia e incidencia, en las diferentes Delegaciones y Playas del Municipio. Se establecer el CO (Centro de operaciones) en las instalaciones de la Subdireccin de Bomberos donde se contar con un mdico regulador por parte de Servicios Mdicos Municipales, as como representantes del Concejo Municipal de Proteccin Civil esto para la canalizacin correcta de personas lesionadas. Los Puestos de Socorro (PS) se establecern en diferentes puntos de la ciudad y de acuerdo a las necesidades requeridas para la atencin y movilizacin de las unidades de Emergencia. Asimismo de parte de Seguridad Publica se contar con un nmero aproximado 416 policas cuidando la ciudad, durante las 24 horas. En el caso del Sector Naval sern 143 elementos que participarn en la vigilancia de las Playas Flamingos, Muertos-Olas Altas, Boca de Tomates-Bocanegra, Nuevo Vallarta y Buceras en las que se estarn instalando 5 puestos de socorro, adems de los elementos en tierra, as como 5 embarcaciones. La Polica Federal coment que cuenta con 22 elementos, quienes resguardarn los 220 kilmetros de su jurisdiccin, adems de mantener vigilancia de 24 horas en las entradas y aeropuerto, en el caso de la Capitana de Puerto el derrotero meteorolgico estar disponible las 24 horas, adems de dos patrullas en playa y dos por mar, as como 10 encargados del resguardo martimo. Adems de la revisin que se lleva a cabo en las embarcaciones mecnicas de cada una. Proteccin Civil del Estado, contarn con 27 elementos y 15 vehculos, adems de dos embarcaciones acuticas, las cuales resguardarn las playas de Puerto Vallarta y Cabo Corrientes, mientras que Trnsito y Vialidad del Estado, dijo contar con 22 elementos, los cuales estarn recorriendo las vialidades estatales, adems de colocar dos mdulos de atencin en el Crucero de Las Juntas. El Director de Servicios Pblicos, Roberto Gonzlez explic que a lo largo de la playa se estarn colocando 90 tambos, para que al gente deposite su basura, adems de 30 letrinas adicionales a las que ya existen, adems coment se realizar la limpieza tanto del malecn como de las playas por una cuadrilla de 60 personas que iniciaran operaciones a las 5:30am.
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Puerto Vallarta Threat Assessment To: Thomas Dale & Associates

April 19, 2011

THOMAS DALE & ASSOCIATES

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Municipal Police and Tourist Police on foot patrol.

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THOMAS DALE & ASSOCIATES

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RATE PER 1,000

Alcohol related: 1467

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Attachment #2 (Easter week 2011 Deployment)

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THOMAS DALE & ASSOCIATES

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