Posted by robertosol on January 21, 2001 at 23:42:05:
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Cops get raise. Tijuana City Councilman Renato Sandoval hopes pay increases to police personnel will stem the tide of corruption long plaguing the police force. He called on city residents to cooperate by not going along with the "cultural" habit of giving "mordidas" to police personnel. Most Americans, other than those from Chicago or New York, have long felt that being stopped by local gendarmes for traffic violations while driving in Tijuana and exhorting fine-payment on the spot, was an exclusive happening to visitors. Such has not been the case, Mexican nationals have in this manner long taken care of such trivial matters as going through a red-light or running stop signs and other such traffic no-no's. Police pay has been increased by 33.5 per cent; bringing pay increases to 114 per cent since the present city administration took office three years ago. A police officer received 1,210 pesos (about US$130) per month, which had been increased to 5,420 pesos (about US$570) a month, and with this new raise will increase to 6,630 pesos (about US$698) a month. The Tijuana police department has several categories of "agents" the above salary is for the lowest classification in category, "Agente B." The raises by classifications have been increased by the same percentages, bringing the second lowest category to about US$712, while a precinct chief will now earn 15,555 pesos (about US$1638) a month. In addition to pay raises, police personnel are eligible for low interest mortgage loans and have priority in qualifying for new housing. They also receive the yearly "aguinaldo" bonus (minimum of two weeks salary paid no later than December 20th), vacation pay with bonus, individual and family medical coverage, and retirement benefits. The penalty for accepting "mordidas" is immediate dismissal. Due to cooperative agreements with the San Diego Police Department, which has helped Tijuana establish a "pay-by-mail" ticket program, Americans cited for minor traffic or parking offenses, are able to dispose of the matter the same as though in the US. However, failure to pay, subjects the driver to arrest or having the car impounded (when next visiting TJ). But lest one may think that there will be no future visits, work is under way at the state of California level, which will impede renewing the car registration until the ticket is paid, the same as now happens with a ticket in California. In some cases, American drivers committing a traffic violation may be asked to follow the police officer to the nearest precinct. This causes great anxiety with Americans, particularly those not speaking Spanish, and facing a non-or-not fluent English-speaking officer. But the reason for the visit is that there is a magistrate at each of the precincts where fines can be paid in cash, and a receipt given. Typically, driving citations are less costly when paid to a magistrate than have been by giving an officer a "mordida," but the anxiety of American drivers has been such that "taking care of it by paying the cop," has been the preferred method. If Tijuana city officials have their way, this quick fix practice is coming to an end. |
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