I was greatly encouraged by your post, you do such wonderful work helping the people of Baja, my hat is off to you. It is this sort of thinking that I
have been encouraging people to do, think what YOU can do.
Have you considered contacting these people BEFORE you go to express your very real concern that you MAY be stopped in CC? It is clear that you are
running a gauntlet there, even if you are not stopped.
Longlegs,
""Each police station has a Juridico (legal area) within the PD. That individual is an abagado of the traffic department & part of his role is to
help people in case of abuse by a policeman. They will not accept phone calls, letters or e-mails after the fact, they will only act on face-to-face
interview basis."
I am grateful that you have taken the time to go down to your local police department to inquire as to what is the legitimate way to address this
issue when it occurs. We have from your post one more piece of the puzzle, there is a person in each department whose job it is to protect the
interests of the accused and to address extortion, even though it is highly entrenched and they might also be on the take. You have taken some tome to
DO something about this and at least one more person in the system is aware that Nomads are concerned about this issue that affects ALL of us who
travel from N to S Baja. Thank you.
Oh, yeah....about this Sindicatura joke................Some think the window sticker or whatever the F it is has an intimidation auora to it. Like a
cop will give wide berth to the barer of this "Don't Mess With Me" decal.
It is so naive and arrogant that anyone could take that much comfort and protection from a decal. Especially under the circumstances.
Business owners in and south of CC, along with their shrinking revenues, is all that will stop this.
If you guys persist trying to co-opt and ally your enemy, the government agencies.....you'll get nowhere.
If you make the effort to affect your friends, resort business owners and operators....explain to them their losses and reason for their voice and
assistance............you'll win.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend our local police force for being such nice people who take underage kids home at the 10:00 curfew,
drive drunks home when they confiscate their cars, escort nomads to find our casa, skateboard in front of the cop shop, and my latest favorite
kindness is....we got stopped out in front of the comandancia so that this kind cop could wipe down our dirty windsheild for us with a huge smile.
(photo removed in case he gets in trouble with his superiors)
Just wanted to present the other side of the peso.....and now back to your regular scheduled programming.
Originally posted by shari
I would like to take this opportunity to commend our local police force for being such nice people who take underage kids home at the 10:00 curfew,
drive drunks home when they confiscate their cars, escort nomads to find our casa, skateboard in front of the cop shop, and my latest favorite
kindness is....we got stopped out in front of the comandancia so that this kind cop could wipe down our dirty windsheild for us with a huge smile.
Just wanted to present the other side of the peso.....and now back to your regular scheduled programming.
Isn't that nice. I'll bet that driver didn't have a seven day beard and bloodshot eyes though.
I'll keep my disguise handy when I hit town.
El Juncalito again...another local hit up. this one didn't know about the traffic mordida so he paid 500 en route to La Paz (taking someone to the
airport) and got stopped again coming back the same day. he said to the cop...hey, I gave this morning! the cop said, so where's the other person
who was with you? we didn't recognize you.... they are observant apparently but they let him go on the return trip.
This routine is infectous. The police hear about the money being made without risk in one location and they want on the bandwagon. If it isn't
stopped, it will get worse.
A little bit of mordida has always been an issue, but now the cops seem to be competeing for loot.
Hey Shari, You're right on target about the police in BA. One afternoon I was taking a siesta and I heard Shelley talking from outside the 5th wheel.
I opened the curtain a looked out to see a yellow and black police pickup parked on the bluff road by Campo Sirena, and a male and female officer
both talking to Shelley, who was sitting under the awning reading a book and relaxing. My first instinct was "Oh boy, here we go" thinking that the
cops were looking for mordida. I got up and went out to see what was going on, only to find out that the male officer, Carlos(?) just stopped by to
show Shelley where the police station was and to inform her that someone was there 24 - 7 if she needed ANYTHING! He stopped by a few times just to
say hi and to practice his english. Great town - great people - and soon good roads too!
Iflyfish, Before we travel down for each clinic, I request letters from the La Balandra Rotary Club, as well as letters from any other governmental
agencies that our contacts can obtain for us (e.g., Office of Special Education of Baja Sur, Mayor's or Governor's office, etc.). These are, more or
less, letters of introduction for the volunteers who are driving down for a particular clinic. The letters indicate who we are, what we're doing down
there, what the parts/supplies are to be used for (for Aduana). We show these letters upon entering the country, at all military inspection stops,
and, if pulled over, to any police officers. I have already emailed my contacts in La Paz regarding what is going on in CC to see if they can use any
political clout they have to remedy the situation.
[Edited on 7-6-2010 by boe4fun]
Two dirt roads diverged in Baja and I, I took the one less graveled by......
Now that's a real public servant!! Gotta love Asuncion! For this sort of service I would gladly tip!
Iflyfish
Mick parked on the wrong side of the road on the main drag in Asuncion. I told him not to, this wasn't England, blahblahblah, but there was no parking
near the grocery store...
Anyway, I got out and walked down the street and hadn't gone a half-block before a car full of cops slowed down and very politely explained in their
best English that my car was parked the wrong way, etc...
I am taking the liberty to post a comment by Baja&Back on another thread on this subject. One Nomad has reported that this strategy has been
successful when they were stopped for extortion by police in Ciudad Constitution. Below is a partial quote from his post.
"If you are hit up in Constitucion, get the patrollman's number or vehicle #, & date & hour. Phone direct to Sr. Villalejos, Sub-director de
Policia, at 613-100-1910......
BTW: Give Misiones RV a try. Park is immaculately clean, pool is filled, new palapa restaurant featuring Patty's Scampi Diablo. Several inexpensive
rooms as well. Km 116."
I would concur about both the park and Scampi, delicious and a real oasis in Baja.
I am still awaiting the translation of my letter. Some are reporting that they are not being extorted, others are reporting that they are. It would
appear that the problem still exists.
Thank you boe4fun for allerting your contacts in Baja about this problem. What we Nomads have going for us is a wealth of experience, friends and the
power of communication and it is time we use it. This is an opportunity for all of us to band together and see if we can make a real change. As a
group we spend a lot of money and are involved in numerous charitable activities in Baja, a place we all love, and are an essential part of the
economy. We have power, the issue is how best to use it.
See the other thread for one Nomad's experience successfully confronting the extortion in Ciudad Constitution using the method Baja&Back posted.
What I am gathering is to
Come to a complete stop at ALL intersections, look both ways to make sure no pedestrians in cross walks. Follow the 25mph speed limit. If stopped do
the following:
1. stay calm
2. ask for name and badge number, write these down, do not surrender drivers license
3. let cop know you are calling Sr. Villalejos, Sub-director de Policia, at 613-100-1910
4. insist that you go to the station NOW and deal with the fine
5. Since the police office is reportedly closed on Sunday, travel thru Ciudad Constitution on M-Sat.
6. remain calm, confident and clear. Follow thru.
7. Let every one you know that there is a serious problem with police extortion on the ONLY highway that connects Baja N with Baja S and that each day
the city of Ciudad Constitution loses thousands of dollars in lost revenue because of this.
I was just driving through Constitution on Friday, July 2 from La Paz to Mulege. I had read a posting on a different message board about this issue
and had printed the name and telephone number of the police chief (Sr. Villalejos). I got pulled over at the last traffic light (almost made it
without any problems) and immediately pulled out the information with the phone number. The policeman and I got into it about his badge number (he
refused to give it to me) and my license (I refused to give it to him). Instead, I recited the name of Sr. Villalejos and called the number from my
cell. Unfortunately, the call didn't go through the first few times but finally it did. That seemed to be enough for the cop; he let me go with a
"warning" and I didn't have to pay the dreaded mordida. I never did reach Sr. Villalejos, by the way.
Every situation is different, of course, and in retrospect maybe I was a little too aggressive; but I was pretty mad! The name and phone number of
Villalejos seemed to work; next time I'd probably just call the number without the back and forth about the license and the badge (we did that for a
good five minutes). I also agreed to go to the police station but he didn't seem interested in that.
For a newbie, you done good!!! I appreciate your taking the time to share your experience with other Nomads. This group exists in part to provide
support to other Nomads when the situation calls for it. There have been many instances over the years where Nomads helping Nomads have made the
difference.
Stories like you have just told us help all of us sort out how to deal with this problem and your time is appreciated. We may be tilting at windmills,
but there is enough of us to sometimes make a real difference, I know we have provided each other and the people of Baja with very generous and
practical support and we are greatly appreciated by the wonderful people of Baja.
As this story emerges I hope others will share their experiences dealing with Police Extortion in Ciudad Constitution, the ONLY Federal road that
connects N and S Baja.
My hope is that other Nomads will continue to provide us with information, inform the necessary people and increase public awareness of the real
economic cost of this criminal behavior on the part of police in this city. Businesses lose thousands of dollars every week when these public
employees steal from US Citizens and the entire community suffers because of this.
Please give our business to this wonderful RV park and restaurant. They have been very helpful to Nomads and are important members of this community.
Mrsfish and I have stayed there and it is a real oasis in Baja. The plantings alone are worth the stop, the birding is fabulous and Patty and Jaime
are wonderful hosts. This RV Park is also found in the Church's Camping and RVing in Baja, a very good guide to RV Parks in Baja.
Let them know of your experiences and keep them posted on both your positive and negative experiences in Ciudad Constitution. I will be forwarding
them a link to this thread. I know they are concerned and good citizens of Ciudad Constitution and this extortion affects them directly. Caravans have
been cancelled that would normally stop at their place and thousands of dollars are lost each day by US Citizens being scared from going thru this
town. Mrsfish and I love this RV Park and it's owners and will not go south of Guerro Negro this winter if this does not stop.
Misiones RV Park
Highway 1 Km. 213
Ciudad Constitucion, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
"If it were lush and rich, one could understand the pull, but it is fierce and hostile and sullen.
The stone mountains pile up to the sky and there is little fresh water. But we know we must go back
if we live, and we don't know why." - Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
"You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them or to them." - Malcolm Forbes
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others
cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer." - Cunningham's Law
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Emergency Baja Contacts Include:
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