Introduction to the project
As an international student living in Guadalajara, it is impossible to avoid dealing with the police. Before I came here, I had heard all of the horror stories. Paying huge bribes to the police, being pulled over for no reason, police planting drugs in your car, police brutality, etc. The students who had come to Guadalajara before all had their tales to tell.
To me it seemed a little exaggerated and just a bit far-fetched. I work with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada, and am used to seeing honest and fair police work. The police corruption that was recently exposed in the Toronto Police Department was dealt with effectively and involved very few officers. The scandal proved the fact that corruption is not acceptable in police forces in Canada and will be punished.
The contrast between the police forces in Mexico and in Canada hit me after I’d been in Guadalajara for a very short time. There are the obvious differences, such as corruption, but there were also differences that I didn’t expect. As a result of corruption, the public has a very different attitude towards police officers and all figures of authority. I also learned the differences in education of the officers between countries. Perhaps the most surprising to me was the difference in wages.
With this blog, I’ll explore the variations that exist across the Canadian and Mexican cultures relating to the police force. As a final post at the end of the project, I will attempt to develop possible solutions for the problem that exists in Guadalajara. New postings will happen throughout the semester. I encourage you to leave comments and I would enjoy feedback.
posted by Jenna @ 1:20 p.m.
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