The policemen in Mexico.

Metal_made

Trooper
In Mexico, the police corps are very bad.

They are corrupted, they try to catch always the wrong guys and, since these guys wan't to stay out of trouble, they have to give money to the police.

In many kidnapping cases, it turns out that the kidnappers were policemen.

Many policemen are connected to drug traffic.

I think this happens because many policemen in Mexico, did not even finish high school, they have a very low pay and the most important: If you see the socieconomical status of a delinquent, you'll (obviously) find they are poor and lazy... What happens when a policeman is poor and lazy?
 
Metal_made said:
In Mexico, the police corps are very bad.

They are corrupted, they try to catch always the wrong guys and, since these guys wan't to stay out of trouble, they have to give money to the police.

In many kidnapping cases, it turns out that the kidnappers were policemen.

Many policemen are connected to drug traffic.

I think this happens because many policemen in Mexico, did not even finish high school, they have a very low pay and the most important: If you see the socieconomical status of a delinquent, you'll (obviously) find they are poor and lazy... What happens when a policeman is poor and lazy?

He only eats donuts and he only chases after bad guys carrying donuts.

Seriously, Mexican cops received a lot of attention in Canada this past year because two Canadian women were accused of murder in a Mexican hotel.  The problem was the police botched the whole investigation.  The women are still in Canada as far as I know -- and I doubt they'll be making a trip to Mexico.
 
Genghis Khan said:
He only eats donuts and he only chases after bad guys carrying donuts.

Seriously, Mexican cops received a lot of attention in Canada this past year because two Canadian women were accused of murder in a Mexican hotel.  The problem was the police botched the whole investigation.  The women are still in Canada as far as I know -- and I doubt they'll be making a trip to Mexico.

Hahaha, a good one.  Anyway, they do that a lot, they like to hunt tourists in order to get money from them, if they refuse, they send them to jail. By the way, have you heard the way they treated Dog Chapman?
 
Dog Chapman is the bounty hunter, if I recall correctly.  I never watch the show, but I did watch the special they had about him.  Hopefully, he won't have to come back and face a trial or whatever.  I was on my way out one day, when I passed by the T.V. and I see his recognizable mug on T.V.  I tuned in and I was hooked; I had to know the whole thing that happened.  It is too bad he is prosecuted as he did stop a serial rapist on Mexican territory.  The authorities should be thanking him; a local woman could have been next on the rapist's list.  I hope he is finally exonerated. 
 
I don't know the whole Dog story, but whether he stopped a rapist or a vandal, as I understand it "bounty hunters" are seen as vigilanties in Mexico if I recall correctly. So he was still breaking laws.

As for the state of my nation's police in general, poor pay doesn't explain away the corruption and "laziness." People don't realize that criminal activity actually takes a lot of time and effort. At any rate, maybe if people actually took pride in their law enforcement they might start getting better salaries and actually start doing what they are supposed too.
 
Onhell said:
I don't know the whole Dog story, but whether he stopped a rapist or a vandal, as I understand it "bounty hunters" are seen as vigilanties in Mexico if I recall correctly. So he was still breaking laws.

As for the state of my nation's police in general, poor pay doesn't explain away the corruption and "laziness." People don't realize that criminal activity actually takes a lot of time and effort. At any rate, maybe if people actually took pride in their law enforcement they might start getting better salaries and actually start doing what they are supposed too.

How can I be proud of a policeman who is another potential risk to me?
 
Because he is an authority figure nonetheless. See that's the problem, not all policemen are corrupt, and why are policemen corrupt to begin with? is it the bad pay? Is it the people that offer them bribes instead of going through the system? Is it the system that is a pain in the ass instead of streamlined and expediant? Is it all of the above? Who knows, but I just think it is too easy to simply blame the cops.
 
I agree with Onhell, you can't just blame the cops and have done it's got to be more complicated than that. I say we blame the system. Anarchy!Wait, isn't that Mexico already? :p
 
Nope, but close :D. Seriously though, there are changes happening in our (Mexico's) society. Last night John Stewart had this philosophy professor on that wrote a book a while back called "On Bullshit" and was now promoting his new book, "On Truth." He didn't say much, but one thing he said is society can't function without it, and eventually all the lying you did will catch up to you. I think that paraphrases Mexico's situation extremely well. All the corruption that has gone on for decades is meeting its end and it will end in one of two ways 1. a peaceful transition or 2. another war.
 
Onhell said:
Nope, but close :D. Seriously though, there are changes happening in our (Mexico's) society. Last night John Stewart had this philosophy professor on that wrote a book a while back called "On Bullshit" and was now promoting his new book, "On Truth." He didn't say much, but one thing he said is society can't function without it, and eventually all the lying you did will catch up to you. I think that paraphrases Mexico's situation extremely well. All the corruption that has gone on for decades is meeting its end and it will end in one of two ways 1. a peaceful transition or 2. another war.

Onhell, corruption IS NOT meeting it's ending in Mexico by any means, it is just the very same thing that happened in Mexico since the "Porifiriato" and that happens now like some kind of twisted tradition.
 
Sure it is. Just because it will take another few decades it doesn't mean it's NOT ending. And it will end in two ways, peaceful or another civil war. Whether the new people in power decide to continue that corruption is another story.
 
True.  One corrupt philosophy may just replace the old corrupt philosophy, or as they said in the Middle Ages: "Kill the King!  Long live the king!"
 
What with the political unrest in Mexico due to the presidential elections, I would say we're approaching another civil war rather than a peaceful transition. And I doubt that the new people in power will stop corruption. Well, we can always hope.  :S
 
Natalie said:
What with the political unrest in Mexico due to the presidential elections, I would say we're approaching another civil war rather than a peaceful transition. And I doubt that the new people in power will stop corruption. Well, we can always hope.  :S

I completely agree with you there Nat, the situation in Oaxaca is getting worse, and I also doubt that the new people in power will stop corruption, I mean, I see it everyday and is getting even worse, for example Laura Valdez, the previous director of the National Lottery, which is a part of the State, stole a lot of money, but since she is a friend of the previous First Lady, she didn't even face a trial.

Now last week I was driving in the highway when a policeman stopped me and told me that I was some kind of drug dealer. He said that if I didn't give him $500 pesos ($50 dollars) at least, that I would have to spend the night in jail, in desperation I gave him the money.  I am not proud of that action but understand I was scared.

That are the kind of things that triggered this thread.

And you are telling me that corruption is not ending?
 
The more and more I read this thread, the more I'm worried about a few of my friends heading down to Mexico.  :S  I was originally supposed to go, too.
 
Metal_made said:
I completely agree with you there Nat, the situation in Oaxaca is getting worse, and I also doubt that the new people in power will stop corruption, I mean, I see it everyday and is getting even worse, for example Laura Valdez, the previous director of the National Lottery, which is a part of the State, stole a lot of money, but since she is a friend of the previous First Lady, she didn't even face a trial.

Now last week I was driving in the highway when a policeman stopped me and told me that I was some kind of drug dealer. He said that if I didn't give him $500 pesos ($50 dollars) at least, that I would have to spend the night in jail, in desperation I gave him the money.  I am not proud of that action but understand I was scared.

That are the kind of things that triggered this thread.

And you are telling me that corruption is not ending?

This is the shit that pisses me off. The cop takes advantage of a fearful innocent civilian. Word of advice Metal Made, there is no need to be afraid if you have done nothing wrong. Don't EVER let a cop push you around. if he says, "let's go down to headquarters." Just say, "why?" or "on what grounds?" Call your family tell them where you are and where they want to take you. Don't let them push you around.

On a side note: Sure bribing police only feeds the corruption cycle, but it is better to give a cop from 5-20 dollars instead of spending the night in a Mexican jail...
 
I agree with you Onhell.  But, let us keep something in mind.  You're in the USA, Metal_made is in Mexico.  Fear does play a role.  So, perhaps he'll do better next time.  I don't know how severe the situation is in Mexico and both Onhell and Metal_made have lived there, as I understand.  But, I'm wondering, how safe it is for tourists.  I may never vacation there and I know this is a bias because most tourists are not harmed or exploited.
 
I was born and raised in Mexico and lived there until I was 17. I too gave bribes here and there when I was younger (15), but in the last 2 years when I go to Mexico I don't budge, because I know they are full of shit. If I did something wrong, what is the fine/penalty/process. If I didn't, I just tell them to save their breath or if we do go to headquarters I go through all their little hoops until they realize I'm not going to budge.

Granted I can do that because when I go I'm on vacation and i have all the time in the world for their games. If I still lived there I doubt I'd be as patient.
 
I'm willing to wager that your experience in USA, Onhell, made you realize that police have to go through procedures, no matter how corrupt some officials may be.  I wonder how many people in Mexico are not told their rights, like we are, and simply live in ignorance and fear.
 
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