Police corruption

Saltador says on Jun 11, 2007, 13:04:

No happy result for this gringo... On one of my recent trips to Cartagena, my taxi was stopped at a roadblock near Hotel Caribe at about 3AM. The police did the full body spread eagle search on me, and took all my belongings and inspected them. (Wallet, camera, keys, passport, cellphone, money,etc.)
After intense questioning, they let us go. In the excitement of the moment, I did not realize they had not given me back my cellphone and I left the scene without it. (My fault I know.)
Within 5 minutes I realized they still had it and returned to the scene. They all denied they had my phone, and in fact, one of the little punks was a real a-hole with me for no reason. (I was very polite and calm throughout.)This kid was about 18 and drunk with his "power" of being able to stop people and harrass them, he stopped a working girl for no reason and was playing keep away with her cedula, laughing his ass off like some 12 year old.
Anyway, they got my expensive (for Colombia) cell phone with all my contacts and pictures, etc. I went to the main tourist police office the next day and spent most of it trying to convince them to do something, they did not.
Afterwards more than one gringo who I told the story could not believe it, the perception is that in Cartagena the tourist is king and the police won't let anyone molest them.
Unless it's the police themselves...

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houstongal (Trustee board) says on Jun 11, 2007, 14:27:

No personal experience But my bf is in the security business and does not trust the police. His friend was recently killed during a robbery in Bogota and he had to really press the police to return her belongings (i.e., watch, $20 US, cell phone). He had nothing positive to say about the police.

"It is now official: there's no place on earth where you will not find a Peruvian band." David Sedaris

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famsearch says on Jun 11, 2007, 18:04:

only time we were stopped by uniformed police... ...we had no problems of any kind. they waved us over, checked our id's, asked where we were going, and told us where we were going would be quite safe, and advised us to stay out of el centro(medellin), as it was dangerous enough for colombians, let alone us. did have a funny moment though. the squad leader had the same last name as my sis in law's mom. she asked the guy over to find out if he was related, but he grew up in a different part of the city, and wasn't related. in all, they were polite, and professional.
dan

dan

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Dolfi says on Jun 12, 2007, 01:16:

My wife says the Highway Police in Colombia are trustworthy, but better take care with the rest.

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scotty says on Jun 12, 2007, 04:09:

Col police are known to be corrupt, i have heard many stories of the police and the way they treat their citizens. But then again there are corrupt cops everywhere in the world.

Get Rhythm, when you got the blues. Johnny Cash

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panthdave says on Jun 12, 2007, 05:02:

Had a Good Experience with Medellin Police... They stopped GF and I on a motorcycle late Sunday night in Parque Llares for going the wrong way on a one way street..Very polite and asked for ID and I handed my Florida ID and My GF Cedula and had no problems..but they wanted to write a citation but my GF then said screw off and said I want to talk to your supervisor so we followed them to the station in the park on Poblado Avenue. She then went bitch crazy on them and they finally told us to leave and never wrote the citation I guess they couldn't take it anymore with my Gf.. Funny..while I was just sitting there if I spoke like that to a Miami Cop I would be in MIA County Jail..
panthdave Miami

panthdave Miami

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griffbos says on Jun 12, 2007, 06:21:

only time Only time I had a issues was my first trip we driving with a friends uncle when a local pulled us over pulled out his ticket book and ranted for about 10 minutes when the uncle ask for 20.000 pesos which I gave him the cop looked around then quickly grabbed it he almost forgot to give back the car regs. Yopu could tell this cop has been onthe take for years, other wise everytime I have been stopped or seen the Police they have been cool.

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juancegomez says on Jun 12, 2007, 12:08:

It depends I think you'll find plenty corrupt cops easily enough, as has been acknowledged here in this board more than a few times, but you'll also find people (authorities and policemen included) that are either resistant to corruption or simply not willing to go along with it.

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famsearch says on Jun 12, 2007, 17:02:

the funniest time with the military type of police... was on the way to piedra del penol. we stopped just past a bridge on the way to take pictures with the lake in the background, and the 2 cops on a motorcycle stopped. we explained that we were taking pics while visiting, and asked if they wanted to get in the pics with us. they said that they would like to, but they were just going on duty. perhaps the guys they were relieving would take pics with us. we asked, what guys, and they pointed up to where the other guys were just standing up from their duck blind. they apologized too, and said that they would have loved to take the pics with us, but since they were up there all day, their uniforms were rumpled and dirty, and for pics, even with us, they preferred to look their best. but, maybe the other guys would like to. we asked, what other guys, and two others stood up from the other side of the road. they apologized, for the same reasons, and we all went on our way.
dan

dan

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