How Safe is El Paso Really in Relation to the Recent Televised Violence of Ciudad Juarez? (Houston: crime, credit)

[AmberAzeneth]

From the posts I have read hear in this forum, I would say El Paso is a very safe city. I am glad and surprised that none of the violence, at least what I have seen on the news in Houston, has not spilled over to the streets of El Paso. What do yall thimk? Let us know?

[Gary Siete]

The fight in Juarez is over the Juarez drug gateway/funnel point to the US. The Sinaloa cartel is muscling in on the Juarez cartel. Once the drugs are across the river there's no reason for the US side violence to be limited to El Paso as opposed to anywhere in the US supply chain. Reportedly many cartel members live in relative safety in El Paso and conduct their dirty business in Juarez. Law enforcement is virtually non existent in Juarez (through bribery or threats/coercion) and gangs can operate with relative impunity. They couldn't get away with similar deeds in the US. Poverty in Juarez also provides a breeding ground for recruitment with many current foot soldiers in their teens. They are more reckless and violence prone vs the older gentlemen's agreement generation. Policemen in Juarez are low paid and fatalistic - the job is seen as a last resort and one step away from unemployment. A relative was recently robbed in her driveway in Juarez. She didn't call the police because of fear that they'd case the joint and come back later for valuables.

[malamute]

El Paso is very safe if you aren't involved in any of the cartel/gang activities and your family members like you. Almost all violence here is targetted. I know of a man who "disappeared" from around here but he wasn't a USA citizen and he ended up killed in Juarez but had no reason to be in Juarez. Stuff can happen here but it's only going to happen if somone has it in for you. Otherwise, there's no reason to lock your doors.

[br7or13]

Originally Posted by malamute

El Paso is very safe if you aren't involved in any of the cartel/gang activities and your family members like you. Almost all violence here is targetted. I know of a man who "disappeared" from around here but he wasn't a USA citizen and he ended up killed in Juarez but had no reason to be in Juarez. Stuff can happen here but it's only going to happen if somone has it in for you. Otherwise, there's no reason to lock your doors.

I agree with this. There are lots of people who have easy access to both sides of the border and they pretty much take their dirty work to Juarez because they can do it with impunity. EP still has petty stuff like bar fights, road rage, beer runs (is it worth going to jail for a 12-pack?), and petty theft, but what city doesn't? If you do a crime in E.P., it will eventually catch up to you and I think LE and the LE infrastructure deserve a lot of credit for this.

[mistabinks]

I very much agree with br7or13. Just look at percentage of murders that actually get solved. EPPD rocks. We are very lucky to have a police department like that.

I think the subject of this thread represents the real problem. It is not so much about the facts and/or reality. It is how it is perceived by the media. Kind of sad.

[AmberAzeneth]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

I very much agree with br7or13. Just look at percentage of murders that actually get solved. EPPD rocks. We are very lucky to have a police department like that.

I think the subject of this thread represents the real problem. It is not so much about the facts and/or reality. It is how it is perceived by the media. Kind of sad.

Mistabinks, you are right. The media can be a problem. Boy, El Paso P.D. sounds very efficient. That is great with safety and security at its best. I hope that sentence makes sense.

[Caltep]

...the box where your cash wedding presents are kept and the officer who is supposed to be guarding it.

Originally Posted by AmberAzeneth

Mistabinks, you are right. The media can be a problem. Boy, El Paso P.D. sounds very efficient. That is great with safety and security at its best. I hope that sentence makes sense.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by br7or13

I agree with this. There are lots of people who have easy access to both sides of the border and they pretty much take their dirty work to Juarez because they can do it with impunity. EP still has petty stuff like bar fights, road rage, beer runs (is it worth going to jail for a 12-pack?), and petty theft, but what city doesn't? If you do a crime in E.P., it will eventually catch up to you and I think LE and the LE infrastructure deserve a lot of credit for this.

I think a lot of crime catches up with you over in Juarez also. Like one of the recent party massacres, one of the young hitman was an El Pasoan - born and raised but a few days later he was also part of the Juarez statistics.

It's interesting that with all the free education, free everything here in El Paso, that you can read of the "pasenos" and "pasenas" involved in what happens over in Juarez. A 16 year old El Paso girl was arrested for kidnapping and torture, the hitmen found decapitated was a 24 year old El Pasoan. Recently an El Paso woman was arrested in a vehicle found with weapons but it caught up with her too because she was found killed in Juarez.

I think Juarez is one big factor in keeping El Paso safe. If you want in that action, you go over there - that's where El Pasoans have hits carried out, where they carry out murders for hire, and where we get murdered.

It's kind of interesting because with many of the players living here, they seem to agree to keep it over there.

[LondonUSA]

In Juarez there is so much violence and trouble. Do you worry that it will spill over the border?

[mistabinks]

Nope.