The many faces of policing in Acapulco and Mexico

During December Mexicoâs Federal Police sent additional patrols to Acapulco, Mexicoâs most famous Pacific Coast resort city. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

Although the tourist areas along the coast are heavily patrolled by police and protected from violent crime, Acapulcoâs poorer residential neighborhoods are more problematic. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

Crime in Acapulcoâs hillside favelas helped earn Acapulco the unwelcome distinction of being Mexicoâs most violent city in 2013. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

In December Federal Police patrols have watched over Acapulcoâs âcolonias.â (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

Many of the mountain communities in the hills around Acapulco have formed their own citizen police forces. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

In 2014 âautodefensaâ vigilantes, a more heavily armed version of Guerreroâs community police, banded together in the state of Michoacán to fight cartel gunmen. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

Mexicoâs president Enrique Peña Nieto tried to regularize Michoacánâs autodefensas into a Fuerza Rural police unit. Members were given the same R-15 rifles that Federal Police use. The Fuerza Rural, however, has seen its reputation damaged by desertions, allegations of corruption and infighting between rival factions. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

In December 2014, dozens of Fuerza Rural members abandoned the force and reverted to wearing the white âAutodefensaâ tee shirts they wore earlier in the year. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

In Nuevo León, Fuerza Civil recruits learn tactical response techniques. They are trained to confront cartel gunmen and discourage criminals from engaging in the types of highly visible violence (shootouts, kidnapping, and car theft) that affect locals the most. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

While the Fuerza Rural has faced many problems, the new formed and highly professional Fuerza Civil state police force in the state of Nuevo León has had more success. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)

As 2014 comes to a close, the Federal Police continue to patrol Acapulco. The issues of security and police reform will no doubt be prominent issues of discussion in Mexico in 2015. (Photo: Nathaniel Parish Flannery/Fox News Latino)