What We Think of the Cops in Ecuador (and other places)

Ok, here we go...

I was in Banos one night and the bar kicked us out at 2AM. The police would come ride through and say on their loudspeakers, "El president says you have to go home at 2AM, so go home!" And no one would do anything but stand in the streets and drink their beers. The Ecuadoran National Police didn't take affront to it, they would just hang out and sit in their trucks and tell us to clear the streets. When we didn't they would just stay in their trucks. Isn't that how the police SHOULD be? Shouldn't it be about law and order and merely keeping the peace and not about some cops thinking, "Who in the hell are they to resist what we decree?" No one was hurting anything, and the police were just sitting in their trucks keeping order.

So I meet these three guys from Guayaquil in the streets outside the bar. They look like pickpockets, but they're being nice to me. They have a bottle of Jack Daniels they're sharing with me and I think they likely stole it. A fifth of Jack in Ecuador is $85. If you'd been in my shoes, then you'd know what I saw. But anyhow, they were up to no good, but they were nice to me and were sharing their Jack Daniels. I was coordial.

So a few hundred people (in this tiny town) are standing in the middle of the avenue - I was with these guys from Guayaquil - and I see a squad of police marching towards me. When I say a squad, I mean at least 10 cops. I think, "Holy shit, what have I done? I'm the only white guy and I'm drinking beer in the street." But yet everyone was drinking beer.

The squad of cops came up and grabbed the three guys (amazingly efficiently and simultaneously) by the arms and said, "Come with me, sir." The paid me no attention. One guy resisted and tried to jerk away from the cops. He caused a bit of a scuffle. Now, in the USA, if you did that, you'd get tazered, sprayed, and beaten with a stick. The police merely grabbed his jacket and dragged him away. He didn't throw any punches, so the police didn't either. They took away his other two buddies, too, in the same manner. All I can figure is that the cops recognized them as pickpockets/troublemakers and were telling them to leave. They didn't arrest them; they just ran them away. As I said, they were from Guayaquil, and Ecuador folks know what stereotype that entails.

I saw so many cool things such as that from the Ecuadoran government that I completely respect them. I hung out in lots of hostels in three months with a lot of travelers and heard of no sort of graft or malfeasance from any cop. I think they're truly what police should be. The government in Ecuador respects the citizenry and treats the people like CITIZENS and not suspects.

I have tons more stories about the Ecuadoran government and why they're wonderful, but I get tired of typing so much.

Good stuff, Brandon.

Now, a few months ago here in Quito, I'm heading home from some shopping in Centro Historico, when I see an obvious drunk on the corner near a bus stop.

The guy has an open liquor bottle in his hand and is swerving around looking like trouble, so I avoid eye contact and move past him toward the bus stop.

Minutes later, as I am climbing into a bus, inches from my shoulder there is a smashing sound and suddenly glass is flying around.

The drunk guy has smashed his empty bottle against the front entrance to the bus just inches from my head.  If he was aiming for me, he missed.

All this, mind you, in an area of El Centro heavily patrolled by la policia.

In fact, there was a cop right there watching the guy.

In two seconds, the cop has grabbed the drunk by the elbow, given him enough of a push to get him moving away from "la gente," and sent him on his way.

No arrest, no jail time, bing-bam-boom, incident over.

cccmedia in Quito

Cops probably figured you were a mark. Why were sharing the JD with them or were you drinking beer with the crowd? Check what you wrote

cccmedia wrote:

In two seconds, the cop has grabbed the drunk by the elbow, given him enough of a push to get him moving away from "la gente," and sent him on his way.

No arrest, no jail time, bing-bam-boom, incident over.

That's like old school 1950's U.S. police. If you were drunk, they'd just take you to the house in their squad car. I saw people sleeping on park benches in Ecuador and Colombia. Do that in the USA on a public bench and you'll be charged with public drunkeness or loitering. In civilized countries, such as in South America, they understand that a public bench is PUBLIC and that the guy sleeping on the bench is not hurting anyone.

Guess it depends where you live.

suefrankdahl wrote:

You think they ignored the fact that they were sharing the JD with you? Or maybe just figured you were a mark?

The police had no eyes on me. They just wanted to run away the other guys. To be more succinct, these three guys didn't match up in any way. I was a gang investigator for many years, so I knew immediately they were trouble. One kid was about 18, another guy was 35ish and the third was way older. And they weren't related. And as an investigator, even speaking another language, I felt as if they were criminals. But I was imbibing on their free shots in the public streets because 1) I knew where my wallet was and it was safe (2 I wasn't going to leave the area with them, and 3) I could have beaten the hell out of all of them. Maybe that sounds pretentious, but I've been to five continents and 21 countries. I've been a US Marine and had some other cool jobs, so I felt comfortable hanging out with these miscreants without fearing for my wellbeing. But they were scamming for something of mine, and I didn't have any trouble with the police running them away. Especially when one guy resisted and was trying to run, and the policemen didn't panic and just dragged him off the street.

The Ecuadoran police are super cool. Maybe they're all closet assholes and I just don't know it. But I'm a pretty good judge of my surroundings after traveling all over, and the Ecuadorans seem to respect liberty. I love them for it.

suefrankdahl wrote:

Guess it depends where you live.

True. If you live in the USA, the police will stop you and question you for having the audacity to be in public.

BrandonBP wrote:

That's like old school 1950's U.S. police. If you were drunk, they'd just take you to the house in their squad car. I saw people sleeping on park benches in Ecuador and Colombia. Do that in the USA on a public bench and you'll be charged with public drunkeness or loitering.

Ah, but many people want things that way. It is there definition of progress, and a civilized society. I am not one, as I prefer government's role to be more limited, but when you give any organization be it police, government, business, media, the list goes on unlimited powers with no consequences to their actions then what do you expect? Plus the U.S. cops are only doing what the higher ups want. Again, that doesn't mean I support it, but the blame lies more on the politicians making absurd laws, and the citizens who keep granting them the unlimited powers to do so.

So I'm coming out of a casino on Avenida Amasonas in Mariscal district one night, after playing Blackjack.

Obviously, this is before El Supremo got all the casinos banned in 2011.

I'm alert because it's midnight and because any Gringo leaving a building that has a casino is a potential target at that hour.

So right away, same block as the casino, right on the busy "avenida," I see this 30-ish local guy following me.  He's speeding up his gait.  He's coming toward me.

So, staying on the sidewalk right alongside the traffic, I'm now facing him but moving backwards away from him, telling him to get away from me.  And when he doesn't, I'm calling out for help.

Again it's a knucklehead performing his nuttiness right in an area patrolled by police, in this case a moving police car...which pulls over to the side of the avenida and one of the cops gets out.

Having seen that I'm in distress and being pursued, he takes out his nightstick and deftly cracks the perp a single time in the back of the knee.  So deftly that the guy crumples to the ground.  He had never gotten a hand on me.

The cop briefly asks me whether the guy hurt me, then sends him on his  way. 

Again, no muss, no fuss.  Life goes on.  Yeah.

cccmedia in Quito

cccmedia wrote:

Having seen that I'm in distress and being pursued, he takes out his nightstick and deftly cracks the perp in the back of the knee.  So deftly that the guy crumples to the ground.  He had never gotten a hand on me.

This reminds me of something I thought about when I was in Ecuador, "Walk softly and carry a big stick." The police are that way. As kind and respectful as they seem, I would never mess with one. I have no doubts that the Ecuadoran Nacionales all carry a big stick.

BrandonBP wrote:

Ok, here we go...


So a few hundred people (in this tiny town) are standing in the middle of the avenue - I was with these guys from Guayaquil - and I see a squad of police marching towards me. When I say a squad, I mean at least 10 cops. I think, "Holy shit, what have I done? I'm the only white guy and I'm drinking beer in the street." But yet everyone was drinking beer.

I have tons more stories about the Ecuadoran government and why they're wonderful, but I get tired of typing so much.

Why were you worried. Can't understand based on the above post

suefrankdahl wrote:

Why were you worried. Can't understand based on the above post

Why was I worried when 10 policemen in a foreign country were marching towards me? Maybe I'm just irrational. Perhaps another person might think it was normal.

One post you're afraid  of ten cops walking toward you, next post you know they're coming for the troublemakers. Not worth talking about anyway

And if you're lookin to get silly you better go back to from where you came.
Cause the cops don't need you, and man, they expect the same

Bob Dylan

suefrankdahl wrote:

One post you're afraid  of ten cops walking toward you, next post you know they're coming for the troublemakers. Not worth talking about anyway

1) I don't know how you came to that conclusion. I don't see where I contradicted myself. Ok, maybe I'm lying. I made up the whole story to sound really cool to some forum people I'll never meet. I just wanted cool points with everyone with a story about some nefarious guys that the cops didn't beat up.

2)  If it isn't worth talking about, I fail to see the reason why you responded.

3) It seems at this point, you just disagree with me and are trying to be contentious.