More than 1,300 officers deployed to protect the return to school for 4.2 million students in Mexico State

More than 4.2 million students returned to classrooms across Mexico State as authorities launched a large security operation for the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

The operation covered 24,972 schools and began at 6 a.m. The State of Mexico Security Secretariat deployed 1,378 officers and 413 vehicles to conduct preventive patrols, monitor school surroundings and manage traffic near campuses.

The security presence also includes 20,000 surveillance cameras linked to the C5 command centers in Toluca and Ecatepec. Twenty-five canine teams will conduct inspection and prevention work around school peripheries, while 25 mounted teams will patrol areas that are difficult to reach by vehicle.

The Mochila de Paz program, part of the state’s preventive measures in schools, will continue throughout the academic year. Governor Delfina Gómez Álvarez marked the start of classes at Cuauhtémoc Primary School in the municipality of Xalatlaco.