Mexican police chief quits

The head of police in one of Mexico's most dangerous cities resigns after gangs threaten to kill police officers.

It was on the bodies of dead policeman that drug gangs left their threats to the police chief of Ciudad Juarez.

The gangs said they would kill a police officer every 48 hours until Roberto Orduna, the police chief, resigned.

On Tuesday, the deputy police chief was killed.

On Friday another officer lost his life.

The former soldier said his resignation was based on life over death.

City mayor, Jose Reyes Ferriz

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CIUDAD JUAREZ MAYOR, JOSE REYES FERRIZ, SAYING:

"It's understandable, the chief worries first about his men before anything else and that is the main reason we are accepting his resignation. This afternoon, I will provisionally name a new police chief, until we know who the new police chief or the chief of the municipal police will be."

The Mexican city is one of the most violent in the country, 1600 people were killed there last year in drugs related violence, among the dead were 50 officers.

Basmah Fahim, Reuters.