I considered it a bargain, considering my error. I know someone who was stopped by the police in Maya Riviera & the guy said he didn't have any cash. The problem with making a call during a police stop or threatening to file a complaint after is that it will anger the officer. We had never heard of a law controlling who can drive on what day, and this sounded like a total joke. Keep the bulk of your cash somewhere other than with your drivers license. Youll have some backup cash just in case. If there are two cops, they may do a good cop bad cop shtick. Another bizarre Mexican law that could technically (but probably not really) see you arrested is the one about removing your feet from your bike pedals.Yes, you read that right. They do not want to get caught. More on negotiation later. The city really cracked down on this. Youre more likely to be pulled over while driving here than getting stopped on foot. They could accuse you of jaywalking or trespassing. Many tourists feel intimidated by the Tijuana police, which is understandable. If youre walking down the street, the officer may approach you on foot and tell you to stop. -In some cases, the officer will ask you to follow them to the police station. It is located on Blvd. Future tourists will continue to get stopped and hassled for no reason by corrupt officers. The most important thing is to remain calm, be respectful and know your rights. To be sure, locals on the community social media boards HATE it when anyone pays a mordita as they say it just continues the practice. Unfortunately, they sometimes hassle tourists for bribes. The main tourist street in Zona Norte is Calle Coahuila. Paying with your credit card or debit card is optional. You may not even speak the language. I didnt want to deal with a corrupt police officer. An officer could also stop you for a crime that you did commit, like a traffic violation. Why would she want to go to the police? Unlike in the states, most road infractions are quite reasonable (usually under $20). The risk of being forced to pay a bribe can be greatly reduced by knowing what to expect, how to behave, and by taking some simple precautions. The officer can ruin your day if they want to. I fold it over to fit the back of my license, so the police officer can see the phone numbers of the various police investigators. Another good tip is to divide your cash up and store it in two places. To our readers: We NEVER have or will sell reader's data. Getting stopped on foot is slightly less common. That said, the practice is deeply ingrained in the culture and is done all the time. Of course, corruption isnt the only crime that exists in Tijuana. If you attempt to bribe an honest officer, you could end up with a bigger fine or even jail time. what to do if stopped by mexican police. Youre probably more likely to be pulled over while driving through one of the touristy zones because there are more police patrolling. We showed our hand (which was as bad as an off-suit 2 and 7, if you play poker) and he took advantage. Its a good idea to always know where youre going while walking around in Tijuana. For example, you may want to reduce the withdrawal limit from $1000 to $200. An officer could also stop you while walking around intoxicated. ALWAYS FILM! If you refuse to pay a bribe, an officer could issue you a bogus ticket out of spite or to save face. Strategies You Should Use to Deal with Corrupt Mexican Police. More on that later. Sorry youre going to miss our gym. Instead, dress down. You cant drive until 11am today. You cant completely avoid falling victim to corrupt police in Tijuana but you can reduce the risk by taking some simple precautions and knowing what to do if you get stopped. If you enjoyed the story about our run-in with the Mexico City police, be sure to check out the video that we linked at the top of this post and subscribe to our Youtube channel. Interested in hiring me for my writing services? They may tell you that you committed a serious crime and threaten you with a big fine (hundreds or thousands of dollars). This is a perfect recipe for police corruption. If your country didnt let them in they wont come. Alternatively, try handing them a copy of your passport. Regardless, youll want to drive carefully while visiting Tijuana to avoid getting a ticket. You're always gonna be a Mexican. The drug trade has brought a massive amount of crime and money to the city. For example, in May of 2020, an unruly man died after a police officer put his foot on the mans neck in order to detain him. VERY nice people. You can request a paper ticket and pay in person or by mail as outlined above if you dont have a card or if you dont feel comfortable giving your card to the officer. But 4,800 pesos? Next thing I knew we were on our way. The police dont want tourists getting injured or killed while visiting the city. As part of a federal agency, these officers tend to be the least corrupt. I didnt know that they accepted dollars in Mexico City as official currency! One other problem in Mexico..criminals who impersonate the police.this can be extremely dangerous. Instead, they may tell you that the machine is broken and that you can pay in cash. "If the cop is talking to you, it means they don't have enough to arrest you on, so don't give it" to them . Corrupt officers target vehicles with U.S. or Canadian plates because they know a tourist is driving. There are a couple of major drawbacks to paying a bribe. If youre lucky, you may be able to get the fine reduced. The police can also work with pickpockets and thieves. You wont encounter any corruption at the actual border crossing. If youre lucky, the officer will just let you go. News Flash ! Youll also encounter officers standing on street corners patrolling the streets. Great article. After paying a bribe, its not uncommon to get stopped again 10 minutes later by another corrupt officer. For most travelers, an extra $50-$100 isnt a big deal. In some cases, you may have to go to the police station with the officer. What experience have you had with the water in Tijuana? What you say can be used against you, and it can give the police an excuse to arrest you, especially if you badmouth a police officer. If you are being pulled over for a minor infraction, you are not required to go to the police station. Your email address will not be published. That wraps up our advice for how to deal with the corrupt cops in Mexico. When this happens, the officer may accuse you of carrying illegal substances and insist on searching you. You could help another traveler avoid the same situation. They approach your vehicle, tell you that you committed a crime, and demand a bribe. Tijuana police can pull you over for a wide range of reasons. Take a taxi or Uber instead of walking. Avoid drawing any attention to yourself. Absolutely! Towing your car is technically something that the officer cant do, even though they will threaten it, but if you give them enough of a desire to cause you harm, they will absolutely find a way to make it happen. You should also try to blend in the best you can while walking around Tijuana. what to do if stopped by mexican police July 1, 2022 what to do if stopped by mexican police You will drive away from the traffic stop with a fine to pay, instructions on paying, and a traffic conviction about to go on your driving record. . The police will be more likely to leave you alone. While I was apologizing profusely for my error to one officer, my male traveling companion was talking to another on the passenger side. Youre more likely to have a police encounter in areas where there are more police. Don't run. In these cases, the officer could just take money from your wallet. These are more regulated than the yellow cabs and they have a meter. But, driving from Point A to Point B in a foreign land, where corruption runs rampant amongst those that are sworn (actually not sure about that) to protect, is not worth the risk to me & my family. Wow. This is a very big no-no. They wont threaten to impound your car. Police corruption has been a problem in Tijuana for decades. For more info, check out my guide to driving to Tijuana. They could pretend to make a phone call to a superior or write your address down and tell you that youll receive a receipt in the mail. This way, you know that the fine is legitimate and that the money isnt going into the officers pocket. You dont have to disrupt your day by going to the police station and waiting around. Youll want to avoid this situation. In this section, Ill outline three ways to respond when getting stopped by a corrupt police officer in Tijuana. Youre most likely to experience police corruption in Tijuanas touristy areas. Some travelers recommend that you tell the officer that youre going to call the Sindicatura and file a complaint if they wont let you go. This can make you a target because it indicates that youre a tourist. This is common on roads with multiple police checkpoints. If youre traveling from further away, you can also take the greyhound bus to the border. That said, if I couldnt live in the US I would probably pick Australia or Canada. There are things you can do to protect yourself from this kind of corruption and also to minimize your losses. In the past, most fines cost only $20-$50. Remember, the officer just wants money. Thats a pretty standard fine. 2022 Discover Baja Travel Club - All rights reserved. I was able to dissuade him. There are three different levels of police forces: local police forces, state police forces, and national police forces. A cruise stop, or a flight destination town (Acapulco, Cancun, etc) is one thing. An officer could also pull you over for a legitimate reason and issue you a ticket that you simply dont agree with. If you are asked by a police officer if they can search you or your belongings, you have the right to say no, under the Fourth Amendment . The point is, we were caught extremely off guard and unprepared. If the officer cant explain what they want, they may get frustrated with you and let you go. The main tourist street in Zona Rio is called Paseo de los Hroes. When it happens it is almost always in remote areas, and its not pretty. The police interaction in Tijuana can begin in a number of ways. They could tell you that you were driving without a seat belt or using your phone while driving. Whether you are a native Spanish speaker, or you've been practicing for the whole last year, or you only learned the word taco last month, dont even try to speak a word of Spanish. Locals are not happy with the traffic fine increase because the new fines are simply unaffordable. Look at the back of my ID. If you are asked to get out of the car for an inspection, be sure to take your wallet or purse with you, along with pets. Traffic citations are written in both English and Spanish and will contain instruction on how to pay the fee. A woman who self-identifies as a teacher repeatedly calls him a . 2022 RVTravel.com All rights Reserved. The gorgeous sea. Enjoy it if you go, I wont be in your way. This is rare but it is not unheard of. Outside of the tourist areas, police seem to be few and far between. While police brutality isn't a huge concern for tourists, having a long day at the police station and paying fees to get your car back are within the realm of possibilities. Lower level crimes, like failing to stop at a stop sign, have the smallest fine. Most of the stuff mentioned in the article happened to me in one traffic stop in Greybull, Wyoming in the early 1970s. The first time it was dusk. The receipt includes your license plate number, car make, the vehicle owners name, your name, the name and number of the officer who issued the fine, the reason for the infraction, and more. I did not realize at the time that he was soliciting a cash bribe from me, as I was entirely unaware that this was a common scandal perpetrated by local authorities. The officer could see the note and take it as a threat. Its illegal. Also the poverty here does run rampant so when the occasional coins disappear from the car or some items I made like disappear from the yard, I think about the people who are taking that and how hard it must be for them. If they find something illegal, you could end up with a seriously big fine (thousands of dollars) or jail time. Getting pulled over by a police officer in a foreign country is a stressful situation.