Since I live with a Police Commissioner I have been interacting a little with the local police. Some speak a little English, most none. Policing is completley different here in Nica Land than back in the world but the principle is the same, catch ¨the bad guy¨. Drugs and gangs are not a big problem here. Most street kids are wana-bees but there is not the type of gangs as there are in El Salvador. Most areas of town are ok to walk in at night. There is some drug dealing but not to the extent as at home, most Nicaraguans cannot afford the cost of the drugs. I did saw the big drug dealer yesterday as he is easy to spot, he drives around in a camero, painted pink with the Pink Panther logo, talk about being a target! LOL. The majority of drugs are passing through to the US and almost every day some smuggler is getting busted with either pounds or tons of drugs being shipped through. It is taken seriously here.
The police I have met are pleaseant and contrary to what people may think of 3rd world policing, they are very honest for the little pay they get. The equivalent to a first class constable in Nicaragua gets $150.00 US per month (compared to a Toronto officer who recieves about $6,000 US/month!). Policing is split into two sections, Transito Police and Public Security. The Transito Police look after the highways and are the only ones that can issue speeding tickets and they also look after the drivers licening etc. The Public Security Police do everything else. Some do not even have guns but a fair number carry AK-47 machine guns! None wear body armour. They cannot afford it. There are special drug (Swat) enforcement police. There is one modern police car in town, the rest either walk or drive around in pick-up trucks and transport prisoners in the back of the truck to either the jail or the court house. There is no death penalty but a maximum sentence of 30 years (looking at the jail the other option may be better!).
The police I have met are pleaseant and contrary to what people may think of 3rd world policing, they are very honest for the little pay they get. The equivalent to a first class constable in Nicaragua gets $150.00 US per month (compared to a Toronto officer who recieves about $6,000 US/month!). Policing is split into two sections, Transito Police and Public Security. The Transito Police look after the highways and are the only ones that can issue speeding tickets and they also look after the drivers licening etc. The Public Security Police do everything else. Some do not even have guns but a fair number carry AK-47 machine guns! None wear body armour. They cannot afford it. There are special drug (Swat) enforcement police. There is one modern police car in town, the rest either walk or drive around in pick-up trucks and transport prisoners in the back of the truck to either the jail or the court house. There is no death penalty but a maximum sentence of 30 years (looking at the jail the other option may be better!).
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