got harassed by the cops last night

[brocolliandtea]

I THINK ARGENTINES SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR POLICE. WHAT A DISGRACE THEY ARE (THIS PARTICULAR EPISODE EXCLUDED). As well, they should be ashamed of their cities of broken sidewalks, buses louder than airplane engines, a complete lack of vehicle inspections, cars driving with no headlights, belching clouds of black smoke pouring out of a tailpipe pointed at a sidewalk, hardly any magnetic reader cards in buses 1 year after the president promised them within months, 6 military coups in 50 years, and (drum roll) that river in La Boca that proves the govt. has no control. But lets start with the police force that shakes down the businesses around Plaza Dorrego for bribes, that allow "free zones" to criminals, that over the years has been involved in many kidnappings and who always claims to be looking the other way when cars nearly kill me in a crosswalk. Some of you retirees on endless holiday might not realize it at first but there are reasons why argentina is such a mess. it didnt just happen.

 

[arty]

nah, I don't think they should be ashamed of the police here. i feel very safe in this city. If i was a cop I would of done the same thing and prolly taken some money.

 

[orwellian]

I THINK ARGENTINES SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR POLICE. WHAT A DISGRACE THEY ARE (THIS PARTICULAR EPISODE EXCLUDED). As well, they should be ashamed of their cities of broken sidewalks, buses louder than airplane engines, a complete lack of vehicle inspections, cars driving with no headlights, belching clouds of black smoke pouring out of a tailpipe pointed at a sidewalk, hardly any magnetic reader cards in buses 1 year after the president promised them within months, 6 military coups in 50 years, and (drum roll) that river in La Boca that proves the govt. has no control. But lets start with the police force that shakes down the businesses around Plaza Dorrego for bribes, that allow "free zones" to criminals, that over the years has been involved in many kidnappings and who always claims to be looking the other way when cars nearly kill me in a crosswalk. Some of you retirees on endless holiday might not realize it at first but there are reasons why argentina is such a mess. it didnt just happen.

Can you complain a bit more?

 

[Denver]

I think the Germans, not the Argentines, should be ashamed of the 'buses louder than airplane engines'.

After all; they made most of them.

Neil

 

[markbsas]

Damn... I must have lead either a boring life or been very lucky. I have never ever been harrassed or hassled by the police in the US and I've been all over the country. Sure I've had my share of traffic tickets but I don't consider that being harrassed or hassled.

Nor have I had the pleasure of being stopped by the police here in BsAs. Yet...

My inlaws cringe every time I drive by one of the conveniently located police stops (that so nicely backs traffic up into one lane grrr...). They are so afraid I am going to be stopped. I keep telling them "why should I be afraid if I have not done anything wrong?" But then maybe I am naive and/or don't know much about Argentine history and/or as my wife says I'm "thinking like an American".

Does seem like a poor use of resources. i.e. hassle/harrass people driving by versus going out to find the bad guys. My family here believes the police only stop cars that look like normal law abiding citizens and don't take the risk of even stopping anyone that looks questionable. That they are meeting some type of quota of stopping cars. Their opinion and words, not mine. I wouldn't really know at this point.

 

[jp]

My girlfriend had her camera snatched by a street kid last year, and managed to chase him down and he got snatched up by policeman on patrol. No less than 8 police then arrived, and heroically took down an emaciated 15 year old kid, after cuffing him, pulling his t-shirt over his head and giving him a kicking.

If you pay the people you entrust with keeping you safe and upholding the law a pittance, you can't expect a world class service. Police the world over go for the easy targets, the suprise is that anyone is willing to step in and risk their lives for 15 pesos an hour.