Garcia , Mexico ( CNN ) -- Officials in a northern Mexican city plagued by violence say a new course will take a fresh approach toward protecting citizens : Training people to handle and shoot guns . The aim of the approach , says Garcia Mayor Jaime Rodriguez Calderon , is putting a stop to crime in the 40,000-person city in Nuevo Leon state . `` Many people call me because their son or their husband has been kidnapped , or some family member 's car has been stolen . I said to myself , 'Wow , how can we , the citizens , defend ourselves , ' `` Rodriguez told CNNMexico.com . Twice this year , gunmen have tried to assassinate Rodriguez , who has earned the nickname of Bronco for his strong personality . The training for people with weapons permits in Garcia is part of a phase of Rodriguez 's security program aimed at `` involving the citizens in defense of the region . '' `` Many of them want the training and knowledge ... to defend their families and their heritage , '' he said . In addition to the weapons course , the project also includes broader training in its `` urban defense '' goals . `` Imagine if there is someone wounded and no one in the neighborhood knows what to do . It 's happened to us that in the street there is someone who 's been shot and the ( paramedics ) do n't come , '' Rodriguez said . So far , about 3,000 people from Garcia and nearby cities have signed up for the course , including engineers , teachers , housewives and retired military . The course 's start date has not yet been scheduled . It will be free and take place in a city hunting club , where students will use .22-caliber guns for training . Garcia 's program is not the first citizen-defense proposal in Nuevo Leon state involving weapons . State lawmakers are also studying a proposal that would relax weapons restrictions there . Nuevo Leon , which borders Texas , has seen a surge in violence as the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas drug gang fight over drug trafficking routes .
Garcia mayor : Many citizens want training `` to defend their families '' The project also will train citizens on what to do when someone is wounded . So far about 3,000 people have signed up for the training course . Students at a city hunting club will use .22-caliber guns for training .