BajaNomad

More bad cops south of La Paz.

oxxo - 2-11-2009 at 06:54 PM

Drove from La Paz to Los Cabos this afternoon. A single La Paz cop in uniform (this was not a federal) was conducting a general traffic stop at the 1/19 "Y". He had a La Paz Police white pickup parked beside the road. We saw him wave several Mexican plated cars ahead of us through without stopping. We are driving a CA plated car and he stopped us. He said we had been cloked going 60 kph in a 40 kph zone back in town by the Universidad! I started laughing. That was probably 20 or 30 km behind us back in town. He could not speak English, but we knew he was asking us for money.........1000 pesos. We dummied up. We told him in English we didn't understand. We acted confused, but acted cooperatively. He kept demanding money and we continued to say in English, we didn't understand. It was a mexican standoff. After 5 minutes of this we had a long line of traffic in back of us. He finally gave up and waved us through.

This is the third time in the last 4 months this has happened to us on this stretch of road - between the "y" and the city. Each time it has been a different cop. Each time we were accused of going 60 in a 40 kph zone. The demand for money is always the same, 1000 pesos. We have never paid. We just wait them out.

I am getting real tired of this. We always drive the posted speed limit in town and out to the "Y". We have semis honking at us because we are going much slower than the flow of traffic. And I thought the stretch of road out by the "y" was Federal highway and off limits to the La Paz police.

Who do I file a complaint with in La Paz?

4baja - 2-11-2009 at 07:06 PM

we allso act stupid and it allways works. its been a long time(knock on wood)

ckiefer - 2-11-2009 at 10:16 PM

Maybe he wanted money cuz you were going too slow?......:lol: Sorry oxxo, didn't realize it was you. I have the business card for the Chief of Police in San Jose, but don't think it would do much good. Good luck.

[Edited on 2-12-2009 by ckiefer]

bajajazz - 2-11-2009 at 10:25 PM

I don't know who to complain to but I share your feelings. Since our new mayor has been in office we have seen an expanded police presence in La Paz that we at first appreciated, thinking it a good way to send the message that the goings on up north will not be tolerated here.

However, with nothing much to do except ride around looking tough, the police are getting very aggressive in the mordida department. For the first time in many years I've had problems being pulled over for no good reason at all. It's a criminal shakedown, pure and simple, and it's getting out of hand.

Bajahowodd - 2-12-2009 at 12:00 AM

Since they widened that road a couple of years ago, it has become a race track. But seriously, you actually stay within the speed limit? Also on Highway One all the way up??:rolleyes:

oxxo - 2-12-2009 at 06:39 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Since they widened that road a couple of years ago, it has become a race track. But seriously, you actually stay within the speed limit? Also on Highway One all the way up??:rolleyes:


Yes, my wife does the driving and she does stay within the speed limit in the 40 and 60kph zones in the La Paz outskirts. Once we get to what is, I think, the Federal section of 90kph (54mph) she drives 60mph out to the "y", just in order not to be a hazard. Heck the semis go 70mph on that section.

After the "y" going either 1 or 19 she will step up to 65 or 70mph out in no man's land.

:rolleyes: or not, it is the truth.

Phil S - 2-12-2009 at 07:07 AM

Dang. Their back at it???? Last November, because of all the alerts here on the Nomads, we drove the limit out of LaPaz to the Y, and didn't see one police vehicle. Whewwwwwww!!!!!! But now they are back at it.
What the heck is this world coming to????? And it isn't any laughing matter. this is serious crap. Time for a tourism dept. somewhere to step up. Maybe someone who travels with a camera should take a picture of him when this happens, and post on the Nomads. Better yet. Post it on all the telephone poles in LaPaz!!!! I can truthfully say, driving that speed limit makes me break out in hives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I let my wife drive it.

woody with a view - 2-12-2009 at 07:10 AM

bad cop, no donut!

CaboRon - 2-12-2009 at 07:52 AM

This has been several different cops doing this ....

Just two days ago a friend of mine was robbed in that section by a La Paz cop.

I believe this behavior is sanctioned by the new mayor of La Paz. How can she not know of this activity ?

She probably gets a cut in the take....

This is gringo robbing, pure and simple ....

CaboRon

driving while white?

Cardon Man - 2-12-2009 at 08:38 AM

I would also like to know if/how one can file a complaint against a cop in La Paz. ( Though it may be incredibly naive to think anyone in the system would actually care. )

The cops on that stretch of road in La Paz are thieves...plain and simple. US or Canadian plated vehicles beware! And if you're towing a boat you're chances of being hassled by La Paz's finest go up exponentialy.

Luck of the draw

Lee - 2-12-2009 at 09:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cardon Man
The cops on that stretch of road in La Paz are thieves...plain and simple. US or Canadian plated vehicles beware! And if you're towing a boat you're chances of being hassled by La Paz's finest go up exponentialy.


I know a MX who was harassed at that stop by cops while towing a big and expensive boat. Checked all papers, searched through everything.

Registering a complaint against a cop, visiting the Mayor's office, etc., would probably improve the profiling taking place. And then again, maybe not.

I've been stopped at that corner twice recently and nothing happened. Like others here, if I haven't done anything wrong, I won't be paying mordida. Maybe avoid that corner?

How's this: speak Spanish respectfully, tell them what you think is going on, and that you don't intend to pay ANYTHING! Get their name, badge number, ask for ID, ask them to call their Supervisor. Smile while doing this. Might cut your time to 5 minutes?

longlegsinlapaz - 2-12-2009 at 09:27 AM

The main Police department in La Paz is at the intersection of Mexico & Colima. IMO, this is something they'd only take seriously if people were willing to go in person & register an official complaint. I doubt they'd take anyone seriously if you aren't able to provide the officer's name and/or badge number & possibly the number or plate number of the vehicle, location & time of day.

There's also the option of filing a complaint with the Department of Tourism in La Paz (right side of the hwy heading into La Paz from the airport, just after the new Walmart & across from Baja Golf). There's an official translator on staff whose job is to intercede on the behalf of non-Mexicans (meaning you don't have to be a "tourist passing through", you can be a full or part-time resident) in all types of situations. Sr. Gonzales is really nice, knowledgeable & he'll be totally honest with you as to what resolution he feels in possible. Their services are totally free! The phone numbers for the Department of Tourism are: 124-0100 or 124-0103. Again, I believe you'd have to make an appointment to go in & register an official complaint in person.

Leo - 2-12-2009 at 08:41 PM

This is good information to have, thanks longlegs!!

vacaenbaja - 2-12-2009 at 09:09 PM

I second going to the Department of Tourism. Years ago
when I had my NEW PICK UP impounded by the Fedrales de Los Caminos for the "falta de placas" the Tourism people were the only ones will ing to help , even though they had very little pull because I got stopped just out side the city
limits and It was a "Federal case so to speak. They did interceed by convincing the Head Federal of BCS to let me personaly plead my case.
It peeed me off to no end as I had asked several mexican authorities ahead of time about if there would be any complications bringing a brand new vehicle down to BCS,
because we do not get real hard plates until a few weeks after the purchase. I was assured that their officials know this and that there would be no problems....and yes I do think you are worst off if you let on that you at least understand spanish let alone speak it.

Steve&Debby - 2-12-2009 at 10:05 PM

We were in La PazThe last part of december,just as we went past the university a policia past us going the other way then he turned around and followed us.We were following our Canadiain friends looking for a place to get some diesel fuel treatment,we turned left and stopped at the first pemex station.The policia pulled up beside us and said it I could not talk on a two way radio and from sitting in his pickup,somehow said I did not have a seat belt on.There is no way he could see if I had a seatbelt on.
He got out of his pickup and came around to the door of the motorhome and spoke to my wife and acted like he was writeing a ticket.My wife looked and he was not writeing anything.My wife ended up giveing him $40.00,against my wishes and away he went. We took off and saw him and his partner at the taco stand.I guess we bought him and his partner lunch.:mad:
I should of got his badge number,but I was so peeed I did not even think about it.:mad::mad::mad:
What really peees me off is they are crying that nobody is comeing down and spending their money and they pull crap like this on the ones that do brave the gauntlet.:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

ckiefer - 2-13-2009 at 01:09 AM

Didn't the U.S. government just give Mexico a huge sum of money to help fight drug trafficking? I think I'll print out the actual news article, translate into Spanish and hand it to them next time I get pulled over.

TonyC - 2-13-2009 at 06:34 AM

I got pulled over in San Quintin for running a stop sign a few blocks from the bank near the park. Funny thing thing was, I was behind a car with about seven people pack in it that went through the same intersection. Stopped close enough to the intersection to look back and see no stop sign,but there was a sign....one sign on the other side of the street of intersection where I could make out a faded "T", other then that the sign was unreadable, and about to fall over. While he was talking I counted about six cars blow through the same intersection. I drive a 2006 Tundra. Cop wanted to keep my Cal. license, and pay him $800. pesos. Don't know how he came up with that number, there was two of'em, so I guess $400. ea. Mexican standoff for about ten mins., before I called a friend (local) to come and help me out. My buddy came talked to them explained I had a house at Socorro, and a few of my amigos were Federal cops. After that the cop stopped the mean mugging look, and introduced himself. I tryed to give him $200. pesos for him and the other cop....a no hard feeling, lunch on me move. Dude wouldn't take my money, my buddy said the cop didn't want any misunderstanding. No misunderstanding, it's Mexico. Glass is always half full.

Hook - 2-13-2009 at 06:55 AM

I really cant figure out why none of this exists over here in the Guaymas/SC corridor. As active as the boards are over here, believe me, if it did, everyone would hear about it.

For true infractions, it's take your license, follow me to the substation right here in town and pay the ridiculously low fine (at least by US standards) and go. Also, many many warnings given. Tickets are really rare........and then usually it's Sonoran plated vehicles that seem to get them.

CHECK THIS OUT

woody with a view - 2-13-2009 at 07:09 AM

do what i do. print this out and change the names of the area you are going to be in or just leave it like it is. when you tape it to the back of your license do a really CRAPPY job. put a fold in the tape or something that makes the crooked cop feel it on his own. he WILL turn it over and the change in demeanor along with the puddle that forms beneath his feet is priceless......

it's got me out of 2 bribe requests!!!

scan (Small).jpg - 46kB

CaboRon - 2-13-2009 at 07:17 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by ckiefer
Didn't the U.S. government just give Mexico a huge sum of money to help fight drug trafficking? I think I'll print out the actual news article, translate into Spanish and hand it to them next time I get pulled over.


Just for the record: There is no cash involved in this program, only supplies, vehicles and hardware. There may also be some advisory units or stateside training available for Mexican units.

CaboRon

Santiago - 2-13-2009 at 08:18 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I really cant figure out why none of this exists over here in the Guaymas/SC corridor. As active as the boards are over here, believe me, if it did, everyone would hear about it.

For true infractions, it's take your license, follow me to the substation right here in town and pay the ridiculously low fine (at least by US standards) and go. Also, many many warnings given. Tickets are really rare........and then usually it's Sonoran plated vehicles that seem to get them.


Hook: you know, I've wondered the same thing - my dad lived in San Carlos for over 15 winters and never once had any problems with the police but would get regularly pulled over by the Oregon police in the summer (he was a lousy driver). I don't know if it's just your area or if Baja still has that 'frontier' zeitgeist.