Today we had an interesting class. We always have to bring current events to class. One of them was about the police. That started a whole class conversation about the police. The police aren't so good here. Remember when I got lost and the police didn't help me? I said I had an appreciation for the police back home? Well, now I really appreciate them!
The police chief is currently being investigated for dealing drugs. The police don't really prioritize the safety of the civilians, and they work with an unbelievable racial profiling system. If one looks non-European (indigenous, mixed, etc) or if one wears baggy pants or a cap, he or she runs the risk of being arrested. There's an incredible distrust of the police here.
And that distrust was strengthened last December. Apparently, the police wanted a 100% raise, so they went on strike (they are not legally allowed to, but they did anyway). With no police, chaos abounded. There were looters, people setting fires in the streets, uninhibited violence and crime for the two days of strike. The governor was in Panama at the time, but came back to try and stop this, he sent a Tweet on Twitter requesting help from the Federal Police, but who checks Twitter at 4 am? Over in Buenos Aires, the authorities saw what was happening on the news, but they cannot legally send the Federal Police unless asked to, and they would call to ask if Córdoba needed reinforcements, but the vice governor said chief of police said no. The police finally returned when the governor, who had initially refused the 100% raise, gave them a 300% raise. Later it was found out that the police had organized the looting and crime behind the scenes to make their point.
I'm sure that the Police in the US have problems, and that when I return, I'll notice them. However, I was shocked to learn how distrusted and unpopular the police are here.
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