Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco – In a coordinated effort to modernize forensic services in the region, Puerto Vallarta’s municipal government, led by Mayor Luis Munguía, and Jalisco state authorities under Governor Pablo Lemus have agreed to strengthen the local delegation of the Instituto Jalisciense de Ciencias Forenses (IJCF). This development aims to enhance forensic infrastructure and administrative capacity across the North Coast region, rather than respond to any recent crime wave or major incident.
The agreement brings together key players:
- Dr. Edgar Romo Fernández del Castillo, head of Jalisco’s Human Identification Center;
- Dr. Adrián Israel Velázquez Aldaz, director of Investigation and Training at IJCF;
- Mayor Luis Munguía; and
- Lucía Carmina Michel, the Municipal Chief Administrative and Human Resources Officer.
The collaboration will focus on remodeling and modernizing the IJCF North-Coast facility in Puerto Vallarta, equipping it with new infrastructure and optimized workflows to bolster pericial (forensic) capabilities. The overarching goal: faster, more accurate forensics that reinforce trust in justice institutions and ensure their readiness to serve the community.
Context: What Is the IJCF and Why It Matters
The Instituto Jalisciense de Ciencias Forenses (IJCF) is a decentralized public institution in Jalisco responsible for performing a wide range of forensic services—including human identification, forensic investigation, and scientific training—that support judicial and public safety processes.
While IJCF’s broader mission is well established, this initiative is specifically administrative and infrastructure-focused, not a response to any particular incident or crime. It signals long-term institutional investment rather than crisis-driven action.
This collaboration reflects a growing emphasis on institutional capacity-building, a trend seen globally as cities and states invest in forensic systems to speed up judicial processes, deter corruption, and provide more transparent, science-based public safety solutions.
