This is not diving related but I thought it should be passed on.
I came accross a post on another site and thought that it was definately worth the time for me to bring it here......I am a little shocked by this and will have to adjust what I do while on Coz accordingly. Take a look................
Police Corruption On The East Side
So the day started off great. Spent some time in town over at a friends house (another czm my czm board member). Grabbed a bite to eat. Then we loaded up the coolers to take advantage of the sun while it was still out and headed out in the car, to the East side of the island. The girls were in the back and the guys were in the front as we made our way to head south along the old road at the turn at Mescalitos.
Pulled over the first time .
We were all wearing our seatbelts and I was driving (and not drinking) at a leisure pace well below the posted limit enjoying the view and company. We made it past Chen Rio to Playa San Martin by the first lifeguard tower, and I decided to pull off of the road because we wanted to go swimming .blinker on, pull over, stop car, undo seatbelts then I hear a horn and look into the rearview mirror and see a police truck and a officer coming to the car. I figure no big deal, I wasnt drinking, not speeding, I used my blinker, made sure I pulled far enough off the road \, etc . and that the officer was going to say I had a light out or a flat tire.
Boy was I wrong. This is where it all starts to go down hill, and fast.
Officer with a Black Uniform says I saw you were not wearing your seat belt. (He was behind us and there was no way for him to tell any way)
I say I sure was, I took it off to get out and get our stuff to go to the beach.
Officer says this is one infraction
I am upset and give him a look but do not argue with him.
He says, license please.
I look for my Drivers license only to realize it along with my wallet was in the swim trunks I wore the day before. This was my fault for not checking.
He says, ohhh amigo this is no good another infraction you will have to come to the station or pay the fine here.
I was like ok how much
Officer says (with his mp5 machine gun waving around the strap on his neck) 500 pesos, so one of the girls and I get out to get some money out of a purse in the trunk. While we are back there getting the money the Officer says Oh amigo another infraction there are beers in your cooler.
I explain that they are all closed and that NO ONE in the car has an open container of beer.
Officer takes the 500 pesos and says go.
(We all took note of the license plate # of the officers in Black)
Pulled over a second time, what is going on???
So we drive further down the beach and stay for about 2 hours, then on our way back driving north on the East side road just past Chen Rio we passed a light blue uniformed officer in a truck, he pulled over to let us pass, 2 moto Officers with light blue uniforms heading the other way pass us but turn around to talk to the officer in the truck that is stopped, then about 1 minute later stop us for no apparent reason (not speeding, not drunk driving, seatbelts on, etc) and I pull over and say why are you pulling us over we already paid our infraction/fine to the officers in the black uniform in a truck (and provided the license plate #). To which the light blue uniformed police say ok you can go.
Pulled over a third time, come on this is not really happening is it?
We get to the transversal road and the left hand turn at Mescalitos and we notice a Police car with lights on and another passenger vehicle stopped who was in front of us heading north also. We stop behind them and they get waved through. I pull up and:
Officer in a Brown Uniform says have you been drinking?
I said no. And then say nicely that this is the third time we have been pulled over in 4 hours and that I had already paid my infraction/fine to the officers in the black uniforms, and that we all just wanted to get back home.
Officer in brown tells me to pull forward that we now have a big problem.
Ok so I do and all of a sudden the first two Officers in black barrel past my car, screech on the breaks, and jump out, with MP5 guns drawn and pointing at me. The Officer I paid the infraction/fine to had his handcuffs out and instructed me to get out of the car. I did so slowly, and the other passengers in my car were like this is ridiculous .I agreed but there is only so much you can say when you have a loaded gun pointed at you for no apparent reason. (Once again the only infraction was no drivers license, which we now heard is no more than a 300 peso fine at most if you get a ticket)
Officer I paid in Black uniform tells me I have big problems because I told the officers in blue as well as this officer in brown about the fine.
Officer in brown (tourist police) asks me if this is true that paid a fine to the officer in black.
I say, with gun drawn and pointed at me yes, 500 pesos.
Two black uniform officers and the brown officer go off and argue back and forth about something. Then the brown officer comes back and tells me to go home. I give the keys to my wife thinking maybe the police want someone else to drive (even though I was fine to drive), so she goes on down the road. We talk about what just happened and when we get back go to talk with a local friend about the ordeal. He says this is not right and he will go with us to file a complaint at the police station. Before we go there he suggests we go visit his friend (who is running for Mayor next term) and tell him our story, so we do. He makes calls, says wait one half hour for so and so to show up at the station that he just called. So, at the police station we talk with the head of the brown uniform police, the head of the black uniform police, and the head of internal affairs. Tell him what I just told you here. We then point out of a group both black uniformed cops, the blue uniformed officers, and the brown officers that had stopped us, as well as gave license plate #s we had written down in our car. Internal affairs wrote down our story, typed out our statements telling exactly what happened, and thank us for coming in and taking the time to do this, because this is not right and not the type of people they want on the police force.
Chief of the black uniform police asked me if I was sure that the gun was pointed at me and that the hammer was drawn back.
I say that I am sure as are the other 3 people in the car as well as the brown uniformed officer ( who when asked if this was true said yes)
Internal Affairs Chief asked me if I thought it was normal to pay for the infractions there?
I replied that I did not know what was normal and or procedure because in my 13 years of coming here I had never received an infraction. Then I added I did know that it was not normal to be pulled over for NO REASON 3 times or NOT TOLD why you were pulled over, as was it NOT NORMAL to have an officer point a loaded machine gun at some one who was cooperating, not being verbally abusive, and complying with all posed speed limits and verbal instruction given. He agreed.
Chief of the Brown uniformed officers assured me and my friend that we were doing the right thing by reporting this. I had to wonder if it really was the right thing as it had been a good 4 hours at the station now. He then read back our statements in front of the other Chiefs, and had us sign them.
The Fun Doesnt Stop Here Its off to see the Doctor
Now we were off to see the doctor at the station to see if we were injured by the police, had been drinking, and what our blood alcohol level was now via a breathalyzer test. So both of us answer the doctors questions and take the breathalyzer test (a first for both of us btw). No surprise that either of us dont show ANY alcohol in our system, 0.000.
Two Sides To Every StoryT
We hear from the Brown Police Chief that the black uniformed police are narco-cops and are not even supposed to be pulling people over. He then says that on our way back into town that the Black Officers that had taken the infraction money had radioed ahead to the blue uniform moto cops to pull us over to see what we were going to say to them about the infraction payment (they said I flashed my bights at them and waved them down and that is why they pulled me over) Then we were told that the check point at Mescalitos where the Brown Officer was located and stopping cars was set up by the Black uniformed officers after the Blue moto cops radioed them about me saying that I had already paid an infraction today, the guise for us being stopped the third time was because Black uniforms said I was speeding (I wasnt). This last stop was to further intimidate us to keep quiet is my guess and or to get more x-mas . I mean, infraction money. The only one that was honest out of all of them and did not let the handcuffs go on, and asked for the guns to be put down was the last officer in the Brown (who also corroborated our statements at the station).
The Outcome
Nothing was done the right way by any of the officers but the brown one. No paper work filed for the infractions (remember all this for no drivers license #) by any of the officers, no tickets issued to pay at the station, no reason given for being pulled over, misuse of firearms, intimidation, and harassment. I believe that the civil Judge is going to review the signed affidavits, and recommend that the case goes to the federal level, but at 12 at night it was too late to do this. Internal affairs fired the Black outfitted officer who took the money, misused the firearm, and harassed me and the others in the car. He will be held in the jail for 3 to 4 days. Dont know about the moto cops in Blue. All of this started at 3pm with the first interaction on the East side, and ended at 1 a.m. Biggest stink I have is that I did not get my 500 pesos back because the guy said he did not take money and or have it on him yet he was fired and all of the other statements showed what really took place.
In my 13 years of coming here I have never been through something like this and can only think of how many people before me that were here only for a day off of the cruise ships, or just on vacation and did not know any Mexican Locals in town who would be willing to help, paid this guy and were intimidated into not saying anything. Hell I know the squeaky wheel gets greased and was willing to let the infraction go and move on with my day and vacation until we were stopped 2 more times and a loaded machine gun and hand cuffs were brought out.
A Thanksgiving to remember.
I came accross a post on another site and thought that it was definately worth the time for me to bring it here......I am a little shocked by this and will have to adjust what I do while on Coz accordingly. Take a look................
Police Corruption On The East Side
So the day started off great. Spent some time in town over at a friends house (another czm my czm board member). Grabbed a bite to eat. Then we loaded up the coolers to take advantage of the sun while it was still out and headed out in the car, to the East side of the island. The girls were in the back and the guys were in the front as we made our way to head south along the old road at the turn at Mescalitos.
Pulled over the first time .
We were all wearing our seatbelts and I was driving (and not drinking) at a leisure pace well below the posted limit enjoying the view and company. We made it past Chen Rio to Playa San Martin by the first lifeguard tower, and I decided to pull off of the road because we wanted to go swimming .blinker on, pull over, stop car, undo seatbelts then I hear a horn and look into the rearview mirror and see a police truck and a officer coming to the car. I figure no big deal, I wasnt drinking, not speeding, I used my blinker, made sure I pulled far enough off the road \, etc . and that the officer was going to say I had a light out or a flat tire.
Boy was I wrong. This is where it all starts to go down hill, and fast.
Officer with a Black Uniform says I saw you were not wearing your seat belt. (He was behind us and there was no way for him to tell any way)
I say I sure was, I took it off to get out and get our stuff to go to the beach.
Officer says this is one infraction
I am upset and give him a look but do not argue with him.
He says, license please.
I look for my Drivers license only to realize it along with my wallet was in the swim trunks I wore the day before. This was my fault for not checking.
He says, ohhh amigo this is no good another infraction you will have to come to the station or pay the fine here.
I was like ok how much
Officer says (with his mp5 machine gun waving around the strap on his neck) 500 pesos, so one of the girls and I get out to get some money out of a purse in the trunk. While we are back there getting the money the Officer says Oh amigo another infraction there are beers in your cooler.
I explain that they are all closed and that NO ONE in the car has an open container of beer.
Officer takes the 500 pesos and says go.
(We all took note of the license plate # of the officers in Black)
Pulled over a second time, what is going on???
So we drive further down the beach and stay for about 2 hours, then on our way back driving north on the East side road just past Chen Rio we passed a light blue uniformed officer in a truck, he pulled over to let us pass, 2 moto Officers with light blue uniforms heading the other way pass us but turn around to talk to the officer in the truck that is stopped, then about 1 minute later stop us for no apparent reason (not speeding, not drunk driving, seatbelts on, etc) and I pull over and say why are you pulling us over we already paid our infraction/fine to the officers in the black uniform in a truck (and provided the license plate #). To which the light blue uniformed police say ok you can go.
Pulled over a third time, come on this is not really happening is it?
We get to the transversal road and the left hand turn at Mescalitos and we notice a Police car with lights on and another passenger vehicle stopped who was in front of us heading north also. We stop behind them and they get waved through. I pull up and:
Officer in a Brown Uniform says have you been drinking?
I said no. And then say nicely that this is the third time we have been pulled over in 4 hours and that I had already paid my infraction/fine to the officers in the black uniforms, and that we all just wanted to get back home.
Officer in brown tells me to pull forward that we now have a big problem.
Ok so I do and all of a sudden the first two Officers in black barrel past my car, screech on the breaks, and jump out, with MP5 guns drawn and pointing at me. The Officer I paid the infraction/fine to had his handcuffs out and instructed me to get out of the car. I did so slowly, and the other passengers in my car were like this is ridiculous .I agreed but there is only so much you can say when you have a loaded gun pointed at you for no apparent reason. (Once again the only infraction was no drivers license, which we now heard is no more than a 300 peso fine at most if you get a ticket)
Officer I paid in Black uniform tells me I have big problems because I told the officers in blue as well as this officer in brown about the fine.
Officer in brown (tourist police) asks me if this is true that paid a fine to the officer in black.
I say, with gun drawn and pointed at me yes, 500 pesos.
Two black uniform officers and the brown officer go off and argue back and forth about something. Then the brown officer comes back and tells me to go home. I give the keys to my wife thinking maybe the police want someone else to drive (even though I was fine to drive), so she goes on down the road. We talk about what just happened and when we get back go to talk with a local friend about the ordeal. He says this is not right and he will go with us to file a complaint at the police station. Before we go there he suggests we go visit his friend (who is running for Mayor next term) and tell him our story, so we do. He makes calls, says wait one half hour for so and so to show up at the station that he just called. So, at the police station we talk with the head of the brown uniform police, the head of the black uniform police, and the head of internal affairs. Tell him what I just told you here. We then point out of a group both black uniformed cops, the blue uniformed officers, and the brown officers that had stopped us, as well as gave license plate #s we had written down in our car. Internal affairs wrote down our story, typed out our statements telling exactly what happened, and thank us for coming in and taking the time to do this, because this is not right and not the type of people they want on the police force.
Chief of the black uniform police asked me if I was sure that the gun was pointed at me and that the hammer was drawn back.
I say that I am sure as are the other 3 people in the car as well as the brown uniformed officer ( who when asked if this was true said yes)
Internal Affairs Chief asked me if I thought it was normal to pay for the infractions there?
I replied that I did not know what was normal and or procedure because in my 13 years of coming here I had never received an infraction. Then I added I did know that it was not normal to be pulled over for NO REASON 3 times or NOT TOLD why you were pulled over, as was it NOT NORMAL to have an officer point a loaded machine gun at some one who was cooperating, not being verbally abusive, and complying with all posed speed limits and verbal instruction given. He agreed.
Chief of the Brown uniformed officers assured me and my friend that we were doing the right thing by reporting this. I had to wonder if it really was the right thing as it had been a good 4 hours at the station now. He then read back our statements in front of the other Chiefs, and had us sign them.
The Fun Doesnt Stop Here Its off to see the Doctor
Now we were off to see the doctor at the station to see if we were injured by the police, had been drinking, and what our blood alcohol level was now via a breathalyzer test. So both of us answer the doctors questions and take the breathalyzer test (a first for both of us btw). No surprise that either of us dont show ANY alcohol in our system, 0.000.
Two Sides To Every StoryT
We hear from the Brown Police Chief that the black uniformed police are narco-cops and are not even supposed to be pulling people over. He then says that on our way back into town that the Black Officers that had taken the infraction money had radioed ahead to the blue uniform moto cops to pull us over to see what we were going to say to them about the infraction payment (they said I flashed my bights at them and waved them down and that is why they pulled me over) Then we were told that the check point at Mescalitos where the Brown Officer was located and stopping cars was set up by the Black uniformed officers after the Blue moto cops radioed them about me saying that I had already paid an infraction today, the guise for us being stopped the third time was because Black uniforms said I was speeding (I wasnt). This last stop was to further intimidate us to keep quiet is my guess and or to get more x-mas . I mean, infraction money. The only one that was honest out of all of them and did not let the handcuffs go on, and asked for the guns to be put down was the last officer in the Brown (who also corroborated our statements at the station).
The Outcome
Nothing was done the right way by any of the officers but the brown one. No paper work filed for the infractions (remember all this for no drivers license #) by any of the officers, no tickets issued to pay at the station, no reason given for being pulled over, misuse of firearms, intimidation, and harassment. I believe that the civil Judge is going to review the signed affidavits, and recommend that the case goes to the federal level, but at 12 at night it was too late to do this. Internal affairs fired the Black outfitted officer who took the money, misused the firearm, and harassed me and the others in the car. He will be held in the jail for 3 to 4 days. Dont know about the moto cops in Blue. All of this started at 3pm with the first interaction on the East side, and ended at 1 a.m. Biggest stink I have is that I did not get my 500 pesos back because the guy said he did not take money and or have it on him yet he was fired and all of the other statements showed what really took place.
In my 13 years of coming here I have never been through something like this and can only think of how many people before me that were here only for a day off of the cruise ships, or just on vacation and did not know any Mexican Locals in town who would be willing to help, paid this guy and were intimidated into not saying anything. Hell I know the squeaky wheel gets greased and was willing to let the infraction go and move on with my day and vacation until we were stopped 2 more times and a loaded machine gun and hand cuffs were brought out.
A Thanksgiving to remember.
