Police Corruption On The East Side

[driftwood]

The first problem with the Mexican police is that they use a patronage system rather than a civil service system like we have in the US. Positions are often granted without regard to merit but as a reward for loyalty or services rendered. This breeds incompetence and corruption.

The second problem is that the rate of pay for police is well below the standard of living we would associate with professional police work. Give them authority, guns, low pay, a corrupt system to back them up and you get instances like this.

The third big problem is that Mexican courts do not have the same standards of judicial review the we enjoy in the US. The lack of review hamstrings the courts in an over site role, there can be no sweeping court rulings for reform under Mexican law.

The end result is that the entire system is corrupt, 1/3 of all kidnappings are committed by the police, both the police and military are actively involved in the drug trade. That being said, there are honest hard working police in Mexico.

How a tourist should deal with the police in Mexico.

If you know what types of car the taxi drivers use, rent one of those. In PDC, the Nissan Tsuru is very common and doesn't mark you as a tourist like a Jeep Wrangle does. Know the local rules of the road so that you drive like a local. Make yourself as invisible as possible.

Generally, NEVER pay a fine on the spot, make it as hard for the officer to get your money as it is for you to lose vacation time. If you are speeding, run a stop sign/red light, get caught, THINK about just paying the fine.

Respect the officer and his/her authority. Mexico is very big on respect. You should not argue with him/her, ask to speak with their supervisor using the argument that you do not understand what is happening or why. If the "stop" is minor, illegal or questionable, you have a good chance of being on your way. Either it is not worth the officer's prestige to get a supervisor involved or he could really get in trouble (remember the no civil service system part). The up side to speaking with the officer's supervisor is that you can settle the matter quickly and try to establish a personal relationship (this is how corruption works for you in Mexico) that you can call on when you are in need.

Bottom line, is that you have to deal with Mexican customs while you are a guest. You can not assume that you are in Kansas.

 

[DandyDon]

Christi is right, of course. Beyond what she offered: The cruise ship personal tell you whatever if good for the corporations, i.e. only trade at our partner shops, do not explore without one of our tours, and anything happens on our tours, let us handle it. Hahaha

If it's such an "isolated incident" then how come we've ALL heard stories about corrupt Mexican police? They aren't just "stories" either, I've had several friends who have been the victims of shakedowns by shady Mexican police just south of the Texas border.

The border areas are the worst of the nation, while Cozumel is the best. There is some truth to the problems anywhere there, but you are instantly in the wrong until proven beyond all doubt that you weren't, but it's a reasonable adventure usually.

His big mistake was driving a car. Just don't. And paying a fine in cash on the spot is an instant clue. You are dealing with a crook, it can only get worse. Go to the station. Also true in Texas.

You should've been in Southern MX - Central America during the early - '80s., your story sounded like a NICE day back then!

Ah the good ol days, I bet.

So, for the sake of one wanting to rent a car and go to the east side to hang out at the beach and have a few beers and some food throughout the day at Coconuts, etc.....

What are the laws for having beer in the car, having a few beers then driving, etc.?

Hire a cab, it's worth the safety.

No offence to the locals, but everyone knows that Mexico is corrupt. Renting a car is just not a good idea. I’ve been to Mainland Mexico and Coz, and will go back, but I won’t rent a car. Taxies, cabs and shuttles are much easier. Even in tourist areas it is common to see guards wearing a flak jacket and a machine gun slung around his neck. What’s even scarier is wondering if he’s the good guy or the bad guy.

Correct. Just have to be a totally innocent guest when you're there. Driftwood's post covered the problem well.

 

[Doc Harry]

All police are corrupt everywhere, whether it's Mexico or the USA. It's a given.

 

[DandyDon]

All police are corrupt everywhere, whether it's Mexico or the USA. It's a given.

A little exaggerated perhaps, but there are bad ones everywhere. I've spent some one-night stays I didn't deserve (some I did) in my younger years. I learned since to not live so close to the edge that they can easily say I was over.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

All police are corrupt everywhere, whether it's Mexico or the USA. It's a given.

Give me a break!! That is so ridiculous. I'd like to see you say that to the police officer that responds when your house is broken into or family is assaulted. Jeez.

Police corruption in the U.S. is very limited. The media, Internal Affairs, and Congress sees to that. It Mexico, and several other places around the world, it's a free for all.

 

[Christi]

Give me a break!! That is so ridiculous. I'd like to see you say that to the police officer that responds when your house is broken into or family is assaulted. Jeez.

Police corruption in the U.S. is very limited. The media, Internal Affairs, and Congress sees to that. It Mexico, and several other places around the world, it's a free for all.

Just a few thoughts:

1. Cozumel IS NOT anything like mainland Mexico, so to compare what goes on here as to what goes on in border towns, Mexico City, or Baja is apples to oranges, no matter how much of an expert you think you are on Mexico or Cozumel.
2. We have ONE isolated incident in YEARS and everyone gets paranoid. Have you looked at the crime and corruption rate in your US city or town lately. I would put money on it that you have MUCH greater problems with crime and yes, corrupt cops on the take than we do here.
3. I have lived here for seven years and have NEVER felt unsafe nor have I EVER been approached by a cop for bribes, etc....and no, I don't look like a Mexican...I look just like any other tourist to them.
4. I feel safer here than in ANY us city.
5. The fact that you see cops (actually the marines) with flak jackets and machine guns does not mean that there is a problem with crime. It's part of the culture and the way they do things here. I don't know WHY, but that's just the way it is.
6. Driftwood hit the nail on the head...RESPECT goes a long way...and there are TWO sides to every story. I'm not saying that what happened didn't happen, I'm just saying that we are only hearing one point of view...and I wouldn't be surprised at all if there was some disrespect going on there.
7. The original poster that posted this here is NOT the person that this happened to. This was posted over a month ago on the Cozumel my Cozumel board as well as a few other Cozumel related boards.

 

[waynel]

I would never expect anything like this to happen in Cozumel. My experience there has been nothing but welcoming by all. For some reason, the timeshare people seem to REALLY like me.



Isn't this the end of the story right here if he chose to go to the station? I was reading just last month on another site about the corruption that is happening on the Pacific coast side of Mexico, namely Mazatlan, PV and Cabo. The instructions given by the expats living over there is that when you think you are on a shakedown, ask to go to the nearest police station to pay the fine. According to them (and it looks like it is borne out in this story) the government knows how important the tourist money is and won't stand for this type of thing developing into a tourist-scarer. They say the shakedown officer won't dare take you in, for fear of losing his job, or if military, being transferred to outer Mongolia.

I'm sure this all makes perfect sense until there is a barrel of a gun pointed at you:11:, but if he gave me that choice I would have called his bluff and said "yeah, let's go to the station".

This is exactly correct. While next month will be only my second trip to Coz in the past year, I have traveled more than once in Mexico, including the Yucatan. You never, never, give a police officer money out on the road. The word will travel to other units and you will become a "mark." You always insist on being taken to the station. However, once there, don't argue. Just pay your fine and be on your way, unless you want to spend 4 hours of your vacation at the police station.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

Wow. That's a heck of a story. I'm glad things worked out for you in the end. Makes me think how I would react put in the same position.

 

[RussR]

What's hearsay? The guy reporting that he was held up?

Sounds like a first-hand account from here.

Terry

The original poster said he read this on another forum but thought he should post it here - I find the story a little unbelieveable and will pay it no heed whatsoever

 

[NancyLynn]

I've been to Cozumel once, as well as to other parts of Mexico and agree with what Christi says.

We walked all over San Miguel and felt extremely safe - safer than most US cities. The shopkeepers were quite friendly and tolerant of this English speaking person who forgot the power cord to her computer at home, and was using three decades old Spanish to try to figure out if it was possible to find a replacement (and what stores might be open, when). The same (feel of safety) was not true of the border towns I have also visited.

It was also clear that tourist central (where the cruise ships direct their customers) was (1) pricier and (2) less authentic than the streets just a few blocks away.

We rented a car for a day, and didn't have any trouble - but did observe trouble on the east side of Cozumel - in the form of drunk "Ugly Americans" who caused a nasty moped accident then were beligerant about it.

I look forward to going back in a month - and this isolated report doesn't trouble me a bit.