16 Mexicali police officers lost to COVID-19

Police union seeks guarantees of death benefits for families

MEXICALI, Mexico (KYMA, KECY/T3) - COVID-19 has hit Mexicali's police force hard. So far, the virus has killed 16 officers.

The leader of the local police union on Monday met with city leaders to ensure those families will be taken care of. Alejandro Monreal wants to government to guarantee they will receive death benefits.

Just Sunday, the virus claimed another officer's life. Jesus Gonzalez Ochoa was just 37-years old. Ochoa spent almost half his life, 15-years, as a police officer.

Monreal says the police union is there to help his family, but the city of Mexicali needs to do its part as well.

“We are fighting for the local government to pay the benefits they are entitled to, in this case of the police officer who died yesterday, the payment of funeral expenses to the family is a priority, as a union we help, but the obligation is of the government,  we are looking for payments to be made as soon as possible as well as for the police to have insurance for medical expenses due to illness or accidents in the job," said Monreal.

Monreal says police officers are among the city workers most exposed to the virus. He says the situation becomes more serious when you consider 70% of officers face other health issues, including hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.