Mexican Police

Can anyone elucidate on the organisation and uniforms of the Mexican Police forces

Hi Sean, law enforcement in Mexico is pretty complicated and in many ways is similar to the US:

Federal:
- Federal Preventive Police/Policia Federal Preventiva (uniformed federal gendarmerie type force - wear dark blue BDU uniforms)
- Federal Investigations Agency/Agencia Federal de Investigación (Mexico's version of the US FBI - do not wear uniforms but have jackets, baseball caps, ballistic vests, etc that say "AFI")
- Mexican Customs/Audana (I have absolutely no details on them)
- Policia Frontera (Mexico's border patrol - I believe they wear green uniforms kinda like the US Border Patrol)

Federal District of Mexico City:
- Federal District Preventive Police
- Federal District Judicial Police

State: (in each of Mexico's 31 states)
- State Preventive Police
- State Judicial Police

Municipal:
- Municipal Police called Policia Municipal

I really dont know much about them, its next to impossible to find any details on uniforms, rank insignia, etc for the Mexican police.

Yes, I have heard they are complex organisations.
And also difficult to get info on.
Here's one from the early part of the last century
https://i.servimg.com/u/f42/12/22/09/10/pol1210.gif
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Rurales
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The Mexican Guardia Rurale illustrated above was an interesting organization. They figure in almost every contemporary account of Mexico under President Porfirio Diaz (ruled 1876-1910) and usually show up even in modern day film or fictional accounts of the Mexican Revolution of 1910. They had a carefully cultivated reputation for efficiency, daring and ruthlessness. And yet when an American academic Paul J. Vanderwood took the trouble to analyse their surviving files when writing a book "Disorder and Progress" on banditry and law enforcement in early 20th century Mexico, he discovered that the rurales were more notable for their high rate of desertion, drunken behavior, slack discipline and a propensity for falling off their horses. Almost every nation in the Americas had mounted police forces during this period but the only ones now remembered are the Canadian North West Mounted Police, the Mexican rurales and the Texas Rangers. It may be no coincidence that both rurales and mounties had striking and distinctive uniforms - the former described by Vanderwood as "dove-grey bolero jackets and suede-leather, tight fitting trousers embroidered with ornate braiding and studded with silver buttons"; the latter the still-familiar red coats. Certainly both were more likely to attract press and public attention than the dull blue of horse constabulary in other countries. But then the equally glamorized Texas Rangers did not wear uniforms at all ...... so much for that theory.

Organisation
At the turn of the 20th century a new unit was organised by the Mexican government to operate on the border with the US, to control smuggling. It was called the Guardias Fiscales de la Frontera (Border Customs Patrol) or contresguardo (custom-house guard) and was organised along similar lines to the Rurales.  They were stationed at all the points of entry to the country and numbered about 1,500 officers and men.

Uniforms
Their uniform was like that of the Rurales, a Mexican charro style suit, but in dark blue.
It became a common practice to have long beards, to create a ‘fierce and intimidating appearance’.  

Arms & Equipment
The patrolmen were initially armed with Pieper-Nagant 8mm Revolving Cylinder 9 Shot Carbines. This unusual Belgian firearm was carried in a boot or scabbard on the horse under the right leg, butt facing backwards.  
The Guards also had M1893 Pieper-Nagant 7 Shot Revolvers, carried in open holsters which swivelled, enabling them in an emergency to be fired from the hip without being drawn (and providing a rather nasty surprise to any smugglers, no doubt).  

Sabres were issued and were slung on the waistbelt, though they may have switched to the horse in later years.  

In 1903, when the regular cavalry received bandoleers with eight buttoned pockets for cartridge clips in an attempt to improve army equipment, customs guards were issued bandoleers with individual cartridge loops, as the carbines could not be clip loaded.

Thanks for this Mike - the Guardias Fiscales are referred to occasionally in accounts of the later Diaz years but I have never seen any details of them and assumed it was just another name for the rurales. Very interesting.

What is the relationship between Guardias Fiscales de la Frontera and Gendarmería Fiscal? Guardias Fiscales de la Frontera was the same organisation as Gendarmería Fiscal, or not?

I thought that it was similar to that of the American border control and police.
In the Mexican case each having there own area of responsibility under the Secretary of Public Safety.
But thinking isn't actually knowing.

Have you tried searching in Spanish?
It worked for finding some info on the Federals uniforms, forgive the translation, it may work for finding out the structure.

PUBLIC SECURITY SECRETARY
AGREEMENT 02/2008 of the Secretary of Public Security, which issues the Manual of Uniforms and Currencies of the Federal Preventive Police.

On the margin a seal with the National Coat of Arms, which says: United Mexican States.- Secretary of Public Security.
AGREEMENT 02/2008 OF THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY, EXHIBITING THE MANUAL OF UNIFORMS AND CURRENCIES OF THE FEDERAL PREVENTIVE POLICE.
GENARO GARCIA LUNA, Secretary of Public Security, based on articles 21, sixth paragraph and 123, section B, section XIII, of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States; 30 bis, sections X and XVII, of the Organic Law of the Federal Public Administration; 2, 7 and 13 of the Federal Preventive Police Act; 9, section X of the Internal Regulations of the Secretariat of Public Security and 5, 6, 7 and 11, section XXII of the Federal Preventive Police Regulation,

Article 18.- It is prohibited to use in the uniform foreign currency and badges that are not specified in this Manual, unless by special provision the corresponding authorization is granted.
The personnel that render their services in the Federal Police will use the badges according to their position or hierarchical category, as follows:
I. Commissioner: will use 4 stars with 7 peaks;
II. General Commissioner and Chief of Staff: will use 3 stars with 7 peaks;
III. Chief Commissioner: will use 2 stars with 7 peaks;
IV. Commissioner: will use 1 7-pin star;
V. Inspector General: will use 3 stars of 7 peaks with glow;
SAW. Chief Inspector: Will use 2 7-Spike Stars with Glow;
VII. Inspector: will use 1 7-pin star with glow;
VIII. Sub-Inspector: Use 3 pyramids, 2 with the spikes facing up and the center with the spike down;
IX. Official: Use 2 pyramids with the spikes facing up;
X. Sub Oficial: will use 1 pyramid with the pico upwards;
XI. Sergeant First of Police: will take 3 ribbons in silver color in form of "V";
XII. Second Sergeant of Police: it will carry 2 ribbons in silver color in form of "V";
XIII. Police Cape: it will carry 1 ribbon in silver color in form of "V", and
XIV. Police: wear 1 vertical ribbon in silver.
Article 19.- The material used in the elaboration of badges and badges must comply with the design and manufacturing specifications authorized by the high command of the Federal Police and placed in the uniform in such a way that they are permanently installed.