Policia de Ciudad ?

[Rich One]

Police corruption and laziness has always been and always will be a problem. They don't respect the public, and the public doesn't respect them.

In their defense, it's a terrible job. They're poorly paid, poorly trained, and receive a lot of flack from the public... even when they save someone's life. Not a lot of motivated people are going to sign up for that job. Of course, that doesn't excuse their behavior. They should still do the job they're being paid to do. But that's part of the equation.

However, it seems somewhat better than it used to be.

When I first came to Argentina 15 years ago, only the "Policia Federal" existed. All cops were older, out-of-shape, and carried equipment from the 1970s. Also, I remember seeing police officers (on duty, in uniform) cat call women passing by. .

Luckily, I've never had to deal with the police. But today, they appear better equipped and slightly more respectable. Of course, I could be wrong.

That said, problematic cops go hand-in-hand with poverty. I've never been to a poor country where people raved about their police force.

y
"When I first came to Argentina 15 years ago, only the "Policia Federal" existed. All cops were older, out-of-shape, and carried equipment from the 1970s. Also, I remember seeing police officers (on duty, in uniform) cat call women passing by. ."


Very true then .. now the City has hired a group of young tall athletic boys and girls (with the burgundy shirts) in their twenties plus. They received 3 months training and supposedly they earn $40,000 pesos (hearsay), it's a very looked after post by young people without college education. College educated kids can't find today a job like that..!

As you said older Federal copers were underpaid, around my house was one cop on duty for 8 hours at a bank, didn't have enough money to buy lunch every day.

 

[Joglide]

My take on this is that there is a cultural politics to the relationship with the public as well as an issue of current expectations. I find that if I salute a police officer with buen dia! He or she almost invariably replies courteously. The historic issue is that the police were (and are) instruments of a state taking often unpopular and sometimes unjust actions, hence their role in dirty wars in the past and their use as demonstration-breakers by some governments, including Macri's. So younger people and more liberal-left people are sceptical and rarely acknowledge them and vice versa. On the more critical side, as a regular visitor, I rarely see many, many policemen and policewomen actively helping people or openly acknowledging people on the street. When I was the victim of an attempted mugging near the Obelisk there was not a policeman to be found when I apprehended the would-be robber, so I slapped him and let him go. Some officers seem to drift into restaurants and shops and exit with some goodies, whether paid for or not I cannot say. There seems to be scepticism on these pages that serious crimes such as the shooting of the Swedish tourist will be solved by the police, though it seems highly likely that the culprit's name would be known to at least high neighbourhood. Police seem to steer well clear of the dubious districts near Reitro and Constitucion. Room for some improvement no doubt, though they need to be paid properly to get them motivated and out of slobby attitudes?

 

[elhombresinnombre]

<snip>There seems to be scepticism on these pages that serious crimes such as the shooting of the Swedish tourist will be solved by the police, though it seems highly likely that the culprit's name would be known to at least high neighbourhood. Police seem to steer well clear of the dubious districts near Reitro and Constitucion. Room for some improvement no doubt, though they need to be paid properly to get them motivated and out of slobby attitudes?

There may be a disconnect between actual and perceived detection and punishment of crime in Argentina and elsewhere. In Buenos Aires it may look disorganised and chaotic - and may well be so - I don't have the figures - but back in Dear Old Blighty with its perception of smooth, sophisticated, intelligent policing, the clear-up rate for all crime for the year to March 2018 was only 9%. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44884113 I have heard this has since slipped to 8% but can't find reliable sources to back this up

 

[Fiscal]

In their defense, they seem less like to empty their firearms into you than a US police officer.

 

[semigoodlookin]

back in Dear Old Blighty with its perception of smooth, sophisticated, intelligent policing, the clear-up rate for all crime for the year to March 2018 was only 9%. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44884113 I have heard this has since slipped to 8% but can't find reliable sources to back this up

Interesting, but what does it have to do with the quality (or lack thereof) of policing here?

In terms of the subject at hand, the criminals are the problem here, not the police. I think the policing has largely improved greatly even over the 8 years I have been here. Also, I think an officer would help if you were being assualted or victim of another crime. Putting more police on the beat, so to speak, is also a positive in my book and I can't believe some people see it as a negative. I am seeing a generally improved policing operation in recent years, not perfect of course and with many mistakes, but one of Argentina's institutions that is moving in the right direction.

 

[gracielle]

. .. now the City has hired a group of young tall athletic boys and girls (with the burgundy shirts) in their twenties plus. They received 3 months training and supposedly they earn $40,000 pesos (hearsay).....

http://www.insusep.edu.ar/formacionPolicial/cursoDeFormacionInicialAspAOficialPoliciaDeLaCiudad

Title:
City Police Officer

Duration:
One (1) year

Graduate profile:
The Initial Training Course for Applicants to be Police Officers of the City provides technical, practical and professional knowledge at the police, social, judicial and criminological levels, necessary for the future performance as a public servant.

The faculty composed of academics, judicial system operators and police instructors, provides a comprehensive, highly professional and respectful of human rights. With a total of 1739 hours of lectures, the course is complemented by compulsory professional practices in which the student must apply their theoretical-practical knowledge.

Once finalized, the graduate can continue his academic development through the courses of the techniques offered, in Environmental Safety, Public Safety, and Field Criminalistics and Scopometry; as well as, in agreement with the National Technological University, the Degree in Technology Applied to Safety.

 

[Aztangogirl]

Interesting, but what does it have to do with the quality (or lack thereof) of policing here?

In terms of the subject at hand, the criminals are the problem here, not the police. I think the policing has largely improved greatly even over the 8 years I have been here. Also, I think an officer would help if you were being assualted or victim of another crime. Putting more police on the beat, so to speak, is also a positive in my book and I can't believe some people see it as a negative. I am seeing a generally improved policing operation in recent years, not perfect of course and with many mistakes, but one of Argentina's institutions that is moving in the right direction.

I am happy to hear that the police would help if needed. Not what I have heard in general.

 

[Ceviche]

 

[expat0tree]

What exactly are the policia supposed to do. I see them everywhere standing on corners. Alone or in groups. On their phones, chatting. Do they do anything to try to help people? If one was close to me, would they help if I got robbed of assaulted? Or are they just paid window dressing?

No accountability, impunity and zero consequences for poor performance, in an environment like this why would anyone want to work? Just think about the simplicity of the situation. All your efforts to report and change that would prove useless. The governing authority is the one responsible to not only monitor the police but to also punish them for poor performance, the problem here is that this culture does not have the concept of good versus bad performance and therefore punishment may not prove to be effective in the short term, that is why I advocate for a better trained police force with more serious legal consequences for poor performance, so much so that they should get used to rotating them and disqualifying the bad ones for long enough so that the next generation of police can know what to expect. Until then dream on having a professional efficient police force that does not drink mate on the side of the road or hides somewhere in the parking lot to discuss their last night's partying with fellow co-non-worker.

 

[Joglide]

There may be a disconnect between actual and perceived detection and punishment of crime in Argentina and elsewhere. In Buenos Aires it may look disorganised and chaotic - and may well be so - I don't have the figures - but back in Dear Old Blighty with its perception of smooth, sophisticated, intelligent policing, the clear-up rate for all crime for the year to March 2018 was only 9%. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44884113 I have heard this has since slipped to 8% but can't find reliable sources to back this up

Fair points. Though in 'UK' (England and Wales) the incidence of violent crimes is moderating over the longer term:

Figure 6: Crime Survey for England and Wales shows long-term reductions in violent crime but little change in recent years
England and Wales, year ending December 1981 to year ending September 2018

Number of incidents (thousands)
● Violence: 1,841
● with injury: 972
● without injury: 869
Source: Office for National Statistics – Crime Survey for England and Wales

BBC says the latest figures for recorded offences showed homicides in England and Wales were up 12% in the 12 months to the end of March [2018], from 627 to 701. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said homicide remained rare and tended to take place in London and other cities.

So you are quite right that London like BA has trouble spots, though Wikipedia gives a murder rate in Argentina of 5.94 per 100, 000 compared to 1.22 for 'UK'. The clear up rate seems to be better for the UK though overall rates for crime solving falling along with police numbers and higher recording.