Law enforcement in Culiacán, Sinaloa, has not only suffered deadly losses during the internal conflict between Los Chapitos and La Mayiza, but the wave of violence has also prompted many officers to leave the force out of fear of being targeted by criminal groups.
According to information published by Infobae México, citing data from the Culiacán City Council, authorities approved 157 requests from officers assigned to the municipal and local duties to retire or receive early retirement benefits between Sept. 10, 2024, and July 17, 2026.
According to the data, 105 of the requests were for early retirement, while the remaining 52 were standard retirements. According to the outlet, the first approvals were granted on Sept. 10, 2024, just one day after Los Chapitos launched their offensive against members of the faction led by Ismael Zambada Sicairos, also known as "Mayito Flaco," the son of Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.
Between September and December 2024, the Culiacán City Council approved 55 requests. The departures continued throughout 2025, with another 70 requests approved. As of July 17, 2026, authorities had approved 32 additional requests so far this year.
As noted by Infobae México, the departures came as law enforcement agencies across the state have become one of the main targets of the violence between rival Sinaloa cartel factions.
According to data from the nonprofit Causa en Común, 22 police officers have been killed in Sinaloa so far this year. Since the conflict erupted in September 2024, the organization has documented 83 killings of police officers in the state.
In Culiacán alone, 11 police officers have been killed this year, including Municipal Transit Director Francisco Javier Zazueta Lizárraga.
According to the organization's latest tally, at least six security officers were killed across Mexico between July 24 and July 30. Nationwide, 184 officers have been killed so far this year. The states with the highest death tolls are Jalisco with 34, Michoacán with 23, Sinaloa with 22, the State of Mexico with 14 and Morelos with 13.
Faced with mounting losses and the killings of police officers, the Culiacán government has struggled to fill the growing staffing shortage. In January 2026, municipal officials announced a plan to recruit 400 new police officers during the year in an effort to reduce the department's operational shortfall.
However, by mid-2026, officials said only about 30 recruits had completed their training and joined patrol duties, while another 30 cadets remained at the police academy and were expected to begin field operations in October.
Violence against police officers and Sinaloa residents continues with no signs of easing. According to data compiled by Noroeste, Sinaloa has recorded 3,610 violent deaths and 4,172 disappearances since the conflict between Los Chapitos and La Mayiza began, as of July 29.
In July alone, Noroeste reported 137 violent deaths, an average of 4.4 homicides per day.
