Comments on: La Policia http://www.yucatanliving.com/culture/two-interesting-facts.htm Online magazine about living, working and traveling in Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:38:05 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: P3epe http://www.yucatanliving.com/culture/two-interesting-facts.htm/comment-page-1#comment-78512 P3epe Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:02:27 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/blog/?p=78#comment-78512 shahbaz: That's not standard, that's extortion. shahbaz: That’s not standard, that’s extortion.

]]> By: P3epe http://www.yucatanliving.com/culture/two-interesting-facts.htm/comment-page-1#comment-78511 P3epe Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:00:06 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/blog/?p=78#comment-78511 The police force in Yucatan (hell, in the world) is like a box of chocolates past its expiration date. You might find helpful, understanding and helpful policemen but chances are that the ones who come to your aid immediately turn on you and start harassing you for no reason, trying to get something out of you (money, or amusement out of annoying innocent people). Thing is, my advice is to stay away from them as much as possible. They thing citizens don't have rights, they simply ignore the law. Make your voice heard if they ever try to cross the line (like searching you without a warrant or detaining you for no reason). They're dumber than usual these days btw. The police force in Yucatan (hell, in the world) is like a box of chocolates past its expiration date. You might find helpful, understanding and helpful policemen but chances are that the ones who come to your aid immediately turn on you and start harassing you for no reason, trying to get something out of you (money, or amusement out of annoying innocent people).
Thing is, my advice is to stay away from them as much as possible. They thing citizens don’t have rights, they simply ignore the law. Make your voice heard if they ever try to cross the line (like searching you without a warrant or detaining you for no reason). They’re dumber than usual these days btw.

]]> By: Eduardo http://www.yucatanliving.com/culture/two-interesting-facts.htm/comment-page-1#comment-58911 Eduardo Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:27:55 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/blog/?p=78#comment-58911 Working Gringos, See this is different I like your comments, that is very true, haven not been in Merida for 3 or 4 year now but I think the police is good. I remember that type of policemen riding in Harley - Davisons, blue dark uniforms and Machine Guns, Are they still running that way? Working Gringos,

See this is different I like your comments, that is very true, haven not been in Merida for 3 or 4 year now but I think the police is good. I remember that type of policemen riding in Harley – Davisons, blue dark uniforms and Machine Guns, Are they still running that way?

]]> By: Working Gringos http://www.yucatanliving.com/culture/two-interesting-facts.htm/comment-page-1#comment-31631 Working Gringos Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:53:39 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/blog/?p=78#comment-31631 Alan, That has certainly been our experience of the police here in the Yucatan as well. The one or two times we have been stopped for a traffic violation, they have been incredibly gentle and kind. And whenever we have seen them engaged in activities such as you described, they have always been the same. We once saw a man stopped for a traffic ticket who was pleading his cause with the policeman as they stood on the sidewalk. He casually put his hand on the cop's shoulder as he was making a particular point. Where we come from (in California), that would be grounds for arrest. We think the Yucatecan way works a lot better. Alan,
That has certainly been our experience of the police here in the Yucatan as well. The one or two times we have been stopped for a traffic violation, they have been incredibly gentle and kind. And whenever we have seen them engaged in activities such as you described, they have always been the same. We once saw a man stopped for a traffic ticket who was pleading his cause with the policeman as they stood on the sidewalk. He casually put his hand on the cop’s shoulder as he was making a particular point. Where we come from (in California), that would be grounds for arrest. We think the Yucatecan way works a lot better.

]]> By: Alan http://www.yucatanliving.com/culture/two-interesting-facts.htm/comment-page-1#comment-31626 Alan Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:32:43 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/blog/?p=78#comment-31626 My wife and I just returned from a visit to Merida. During that time we had several opportunities to watch the various Merida police in action, and in each case were impressed with what we saw. The first time was during the fiesta opening the anniversary celebrations on Jan. 5. We were eating dinner at a cafe right across from the Cathedral on Plaza Mayor, and while we were there the cops made two arrests (most likely for public drunkeness, but I don't really know why.) In each case the police acted not just professionaly but almost gently, and each time it was the same; three cops escorting the culprit away from the scene by surrounding him, one guiding him with a hand on the shoulder; no handcuffs, no billyclubs, no public humiliation and no violence. Earlier, on a street nearby, we saw the exact same thing, so that seems to be their modus operandus; overwhelming presence (3 or 4 to 1) but minimal force used. Also--across the street from the hotel where we stayed (La Luz en Yucatan on calle 55) lives a woman who evidently has psychiatric problems, as she regularly stands in the street and screams at people who aren't there. The owner of the hotel told us that the cops usually just ignore her unless she does something destructive, even though she has a really, REALLY foul mouth. Well....it seems that a few weeks ago she walked down to the corner and, in front of several cops, pushed over a police motorcycle parked at the corner of Calle 55 and calle 60. So what did the cops do? Rough her up? Haul her away? No. They put her in the back of the pickup truck thay also had there, and one of the lady cops sat on her and talked to her until she calmed down. Then they let her go. My wife and I just returned from a visit to Merida. During that time we had several opportunities to watch the various Merida police in action, and in each case were impressed with what we saw.

The first time was during the fiesta opening the anniversary celebrations on Jan. 5. We were eating dinner at a cafe right across from the Cathedral on Plaza Mayor, and while we were there the cops made two arrests (most likely for public drunkeness, but I don’t really know why.) In each case the police acted not just professionaly but almost gently, and each time it was the same; three cops escorting the culprit away from the scene by surrounding him, one guiding him with a hand on the shoulder; no handcuffs, no billyclubs, no public humiliation and no violence. Earlier, on a street nearby, we saw the exact same thing, so that seems to be their modus operandus; overwhelming presence (3 or 4 to 1) but minimal force used.

Also–across the street from the hotel where we stayed (La Luz en Yucatan on calle 55) lives a woman who evidently has psychiatric problems, as she regularly stands in the street and screams at people who aren’t there. The owner of the hotel told us that the cops usually just ignore her unless she does something destructive, even though she has a really, REALLY foul mouth. Well….it seems that a few weeks ago she walked down to the corner and, in front of several cops, pushed over a police motorcycle parked at the corner of Calle 55 and calle 60. So what did the cops do? Rough her up? Haul her away? No. They put her in the back of the pickup truck thay also had there, and one of the lady cops sat on her and talked to her until she calmed down. Then they let her go.

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