BajaNomad - POLICIA FEDERAL

POLICIA FEDERAL

El Comadante Loco - 7-31-2015 at 07:06 PM

Went fishing in both Loreto and San Quintin, fishing was off in SQ. On our return on 7/29 about 3k before the standing policia federal check point before the Manadero I was stopped by the dreaded policia federal. I admit I was speeding, passed a slow moving truck over on the shoulder and I did cross slightly over the solid yellow line. I got caught.
The officer explained why I was stopped and asked for my drivers license and registration. I asked if I could exit the truck to dig out my license and registration he said no problem. Once out of the truck he pointed out to me where I had passed the truck and asked how fishing was. He asked if had ever had received an infraction I told him no. He informed me that he was going to write me an infraction, bolleto de infracion which he did. After he was done he handed me back my documents including my insurance card which he had asked for.
I was impressed by his professionalism, he was courteous, informative, respectful and above board. I responded to him likewise. Not once did he hit me up for a mordida or even open the door to it.
When he finished with the bolleto de infracion he told me that he did not write me speeding or passing the truck on the shoulder only for crossing the solid line.
He explained the process to clear the bolleto. I had to take the boleto to any office of the policia federal and pick up another document kind of like an invoice to take to Bancomer to pay the fine. He also told me if I did this within 15 days I would receive a hefty discount. Given that information I went to the policia federal office in Mexicali today and picked up my invoice and again the attending officer told me there was no rush I had until the 8/19 to pay the fine and receive a 50% discount. I went immediately to Bancomer and paid. The cost of my bolleto $394 pesos about $25 US

Lesson learned: The policy of the policia federal is to issue a boleto de infracion and your responsibility is to pay it. No modida needed so if your are stopped insist on a boleto
BTW you do not have to take the boleto to the office yourself anyone can do it for you and pay the fine..

Enjoy your driving in Baja

Udo - 7-31-2015 at 07:36 PM

Thanks for the great positive story!

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 7-31-2015 at 07:43 PM

Hola,

i have been stopped by the federal police three times while living in los barriles and have found them to be very professional, never asked for mordida, which is illegal for them to ask for and you to pay.

my fourth encounter..i had a flat on my suv going north just south of constitution on a two lane road with no turnouts and put on my flashers. cars and trucks just wizzing by.

i called 066 and it took about ten minutes to get an english speaking person. i explained my situation and about where i was and he said he'll take care of it.

about twenty minutes passed and a federal police car passed me going south, turned around, pulled behind me, put his lights on said he would call a tire repair service and would wait with me until the truck arrived. perfect english speaking and very polite.

about another twenty minutes, an old flat bed truck pulls up, turns around and looks at my problem. i asked him how much and he said we'll talk about it. small mistake.

he unloads the utilty trailer i was pulling as my unmounted spare tires were in the front of the trailer...no side door.

they take the flat off the rear of my suv, dismantle the tire off the rim, mount the new tire on the rim and put the tire on my suv.

they put everything back into my trailer and then..we talk. he wants a $ 100.00. I didn't haggle as i am happy to be back on my way home to l.a., ca.

the federal cops, the ones i have met are very professional people.

i have never had the opportunity of meeting the regular city policias but i have heard horror stories.

by the way, the SINDICATURA stickers do work.

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

sancho - 7-31-2015 at 08:11 PM

I can't remember if all Mex police on Hwy's are Federal or not, I assume they are. Was a humorous story a few yrs back, a Gringo driver
going so. on 5, just past the Laguna Salada area no. of San
Felipe, was flagged over, was told he was speeding, to which the
Gringo
replied ' how would you know if I was speeding, you're parked here' to which the Mex cop calmly,
logically explained, of course you were speeding, everyone does
on this Hwy.

[Edited on 8-1-2015 by sancho]

bajalearner - 8-1-2015 at 10:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho

I can't remember if all Mex police on Hwy's are Federal or not, I assume they are. Was a humorous story a few yrs back, a Gringo driver
going so. on 5, just past the Laguna Salada area no. of San
Felipe, was flagged over, was told he was speeding, to which the
Gringo
replied ' how would you know if I was speeding, you're parked here' to which the Mex cop calmly,
logically explained, of course you were speeding, everyone does
on this Hwy.

[Edited on 8-1-2015 by sancho]

basautter - 8-2-2015 at 06:18 AM

Nice change of culture! Most of the people I have seen offer bribes have done so without being prompted. Sometimes they are taken, other times not. I point out that they are setting expectations for future travelers, and should not do that. :mad:

chuckie - 8-2-2015 at 06:23 AM

I got stopped once for a "routine check" by the Federal Police, Since there was no traffic, I let my dog out for a run....He went over to their table and grabbed a hot dog and ate it! They said they were going to arrest me for stealing Federal Property.....We all laughed...good guys....

woody with a view - 8-2-2015 at 08:08 AM

Highway cops are your friends. City cops not so much.

durrelllrobert - 8-3-2015 at 03:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BAJA.DESERT.RAT

Hola,

i have been stopped by the federal police three times while living in los barriles and have found them to be very professional, never asked for mordida, which is illegal for them to ask for and you to pay.

my fourth encounter..i had a flat on my suv going north just south of constitution on a two lane road with no turnouts and put on my flashers. cars and trucks just wizzing by.

i called 066 and it took about ten minutes to get an english speaking person. i explained my situation and about where i was and he said he'll take care of it.

about twenty minutes passed and a federal police car passed me going south, turned around, pulled behind me, put his lights on said he would call a tire repair service and would wait with me until the truck arrived. perfect english speaking and very polite.

about another twenty minutes, an old flat bed truck pulls up, turns around and looks at my problem. i asked him how much and he said we'll talk about it. small mistake.

he unloads the utilty trailer i was pulling as my unmounted spare tires were in the front of the trailer...no side door.

they take the flat off the rear of my suv, dismantle the tire off the rim, mount the new tire on the rim and put the tire on my suv.

they put everything back into my trailer and then..we talk. he wants a $ 100.00. I didn't haggle as i am happy to be back on my way home to l.a., ca.

the federal cops, the ones i have met are very professional people.

i have never had the opportunity of meeting the regular city policias but i have heard horror stories.

by the way, the SINDICATURA stickers do work.

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

Yes they do:

ncampion - 8-3-2015 at 03:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by woody with a view

Highway cops are your friends. City cops not so much.

X 2. I have always been treated with courtesy by the Federal Police, never a hint of a bribe and even got off with a warning once about speeding.

Different story with most (not all) of the city cops.

Maron - 8-3-2015 at 04:03 PM

Where does one buy/print sticker?

Thanks

gallesram - 8-3-2015 at 04:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Maron

Where does one buy/print sticker?

Thanks

I bought mine at mike's stickers:

http://www.mikestickers.com/countries/mexico.htm

Totally agree that it works; haven't been pulled over in 5 years ever since I put one on the back of my car.

55steve - 8-3-2015 at 04:44 PM

Federal Police stopped me towing down to BoLA - Right out in the middle of nowhere - I was hesitant to stop but my brother was a half mile behind so I figured it would be OK - he was very polite and asked me the usual questions and we were on our way. It was a good experience.

Thanks for the link - ordered a couple of the 'no apple' stickers!

David K - 8-3-2015 at 05:03 PM

Quote: Originally posted by gallesram

Quote: Originally posted by Maron

Where does one buy/print sticker?

Thanks

I bought mine at mike's stickers:

http://www.mikestickers.com/countries/mexico.htm

Totally agree that it works; haven't been pulled over in 5 years ever since I put one on the back of my car.

Thanks for that link!

BajaGeoff - 8-4-2015 at 11:02 AM

I have had nothing but positive interactions with Federal Police. I have found them to be polite, courteous and many speak English that is much better than my Spanish....

lizard lips - 8-8-2015 at 09:39 AM

I posted this encounter some time ago but I must do it again.

An old Navy buddy of mine came to visit us here in Ensenada for a week so I was taking him around the town showing him the sites.He was nervous about coming to Mexico and asked if it was safe, do the police actually pull people over and extort money, blah, blah, blah.

As we were driving down Reforma towards Maneandero I was stopped at a red light. A Policia Federal vehicle pulled up next to us and I noticed the driver was my brother in law who was a Captain at the time. I looked at my friend and told him "Watch this". I then rolled down my window and started yelling at my brother in law and was flipping him off. I thought my friend was going to pass out and kept grabbing my flipping off finger but I kept doing it. My brother in law just laughed and when the light turned green he kept going.

I didn't tell my friend that he was family until we were at a family party the next day when my brother in law showed up in his uniform. My buddy laughed so much.....

Terry28 - 8-8-2015 at 11:05 AM

God, that's funny!!!!

bajabuddha - 8-8-2015 at 09:48 PM

All of the 'feel-good' stories of the Federales are fine, but I've had a few personal experiences that aren't so fine.

Everyone in the Sta. Rosalia / Mulegé corridor know about the x-mas officer's drive set up in speed traps along Hwy 1 i.e. bus-stops; little towns with the speed going from ALOT to a-little with no buildings around, just posted speed zones; all legal, and if you don't drop to 40kmph (25 mph) you WON'T be given a ticket, because Sta. R. is so far away, but you WILL give a donation to the specific officer's family's Navidad donation.

About 5 years ago a fellow camper at La Perla was on his way back to the beach about 9 pm, and at the Santispac curve (just north of the beach) nodded, rolled, and survived. He was first time in Baja, somewhat indigent, as in living in his trailer (master-carpenter) and on winter vacation with friend who'd just left to go north..........yes, he screwed up, and nodded off, caught an edge, and rolled. He lived. His truck didn't. Totalled, smashed, and because he was semi-indigent had all his tools of his trade in his camper shell.

Bertha (the infamous one from Bertha's and Coyote) herself and family were behind him; picked him up, carried him to La Perla, to me, and as a former EMS I gave him a good assessment; he was physically OK but very traumatized (no chit)........ we took him back to his accident site, total no more than an hour, probably 45 minutes total.

FEDERALES ON - SCENE, as were EMS, and a whole lot of looky-loo's... mess everywhere and scattered. Almost everything that was in the back of his truck was GONE. NO security on-scene, Fed's sitting in their car.

My fellow camper was needless to say in shock and scared spitless. The fed's asked if he'd been drinking in town; he'd said ''a beer or two'' . POUNCE. Mexico has a 'zero-tolerance law'.... fine. His first and biggest mistake; like in the U.S., NEVER ADMIT ANYTHING, RIGHT? So, he'd stepped on his Richard right there. It was his first trip to Baja, was going through hard times, we all have excuses, blah-blah..... But these VULTURES pounced on him like flies like stink.

They threatened him with a $20,000 USD fine and 2 YEARS IN A MEXICAN PRISON. Needless to say, he was chitting cactus spines.

The actual law of the offense was, because it was a single-car accident there wasn't even a citation needed to be written, but they had this poor sap by the juevos. He didn't speak any Spanish, but after an hour of negotiating for him, the two officers walked away with $200USD in each of their pockets (all he had on him) and an admonition NOT to come to the Federale Officina by Sta. Rosalia for a receipt, no harm, no foul. He submitted the 'accident report' that was issued to the Mexican Insurance Co. and got a pittance for his rolled truck, all contents un-insurable.

I don't give a flying ---- what the uniform is, it's the person behind it. This poor guy will probably have PTSD from the wreck as well as the RAPE for the rest of his days.

I personally have been shaken for mordida as many times from PDF as from local policia. They don't get paid much, that's the difference between Norte and Mexico.

Or is it? Glad I'm not a junkie pusher, eh? Not justifying burning cities, but BAD COPS IS BAD COPS.

durrelllrobert - 8-9-2015 at 11:25 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Maron

Where does one buy/print sticker?

Thanks

just right click on the one I posted then select "save image as" to your computer and print it out.

gallesram - 8-10-2015 at 03:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by durrelllrobert

Quote: Originally posted by Maron

Where does one buy/print sticker?

Thanks

just right click on the one I posted then select "save image as" to your computer and print it out.

I did that at first too but it faded pretty quickly. I sent the picture to Mike and then he created the sticker. Worth the few bucks he charges to have one which lasts more than month!

Udo - 8-10-2015 at 05:07 PM

I had my stickers made up by a local sticker store in Orange County, CA.

But Mike's stickers is a much better deal!

I ordered some others as well.