Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
psriches
I would not be all that comfortable living in an ex-pat community. Many immigrants come to the US for economic gain. Many ex-pat's are escaping criminal pasts!!
True, but the sort of crime they might commit again tend to be white-collar crimes against suckers. You are unlikely to be woken up at night by three gringos bursting into your house with shotguns and machetes unless you are already socializing with a dodgy crowd, Hell's Angels or druggies.
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JuanElGriego
Out of respect to the many U.S. police officers (more than you may think) on this site, i think the title of this thread needs to be changed.
By all means, although I think they are totally accustomed to that phrase. In the U.K. they are called "the filth" and I know from personal experience that they use it jokingly themselves.
And do we respect the police of other nations, including the DR, because that is the country we are talking about, not the U.S.?
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
weyland
By all means, although I think they are totally accustomed to that phrase. In the U.K. they are called "the filth" and I know from personal experience that they use it jokingly themselves.
And do we respect the police of other nations, including the DR, because that is the country we are talking about, not the U.S.?
You respect everyone until they give you reason not to, but i referred specifically to US Police Officers because i know a few on this site and since i doubt we have any on this site from other countries.
Title's been changed. Let's move on.
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WickedWillie
The general adage here is to trust no-one even if or especially if they wear a uniform. (Nurses excluded:wink:)
I know and have known plenty of cops but only on a greeting and handshake basis.
Some have helped me out of the trickier situations that frequently arise and for that I am thankful.
I get waved through the regular check-points in Cabarete with a smile, unless it's those fuckers from G-2 Naval Intelligence but even those guys are cool now!!!!!
Would I invite any over to my house for dinner? Probably not.
No reason not to be friendly with them though.
I agree with what you say here, and you should know (That is why I listen to things you say even if you do have the same funny accent as people I know to be a little on the looney side) because you have more experience here than most. Smarter than most also, even though you could never tell by looking at you. I never said I was going to "trust" people. I never trusted most people in the states and that isn't going to change. What I would like to have, eventually, is just as many Dominican aquaintances as I do ex-pat. And I won't be trusting the ex-pats either. I think most people can agree, if they give it enough thought, that when it comes right down to it they only really trust a few people. Currently, in this country, there is only one person I trust and it will take quite a while before that list grows.
PM me Willie with a day we can get together in Cabarete this week if possible.
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
If you are retired then befriend a retired cop.
Do not befriend just a cop, befriend a diamond in the rough cop.
Ask yorself first if you have befriended a lawyer and have got a stash or a diamond sewn up your wrist.
To befriend a cop only to expect a future benefit is ill advised anywhere.
oops, I don't actually live in DR
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
psriches
But are you really comfortable living in a Country where you're uncomfortable befriending a Cop?
Not sure what your point is.
Obviously it would be better to live in a country where the police are overwhelmingly honest, efficient and friendly, but there aren't too many of those around. Maybe in North-West Europe and some former British colonies, though many would dispute even that.
Jimmy started another thread about shithole countries where I listed the downsides, including corrupt police. Obviously, having spent numerous vacations here before I immigrated I was aware of all those downsides before I came but thought that the benefits outweighed them. I still do.
Anyway, although you are very discreet about your own movements on this board, I have always assumed that you, PSR, spend (or have spent) a lot of time in the DR. In which case you are probably better qualified to answer your own question than I am. The issue is whether Robert13212 is being smart to get close to a local cop and invite him into his home.
I don't have enough experience yet to hold a firm opinion either way. But you probably do.
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Robert13212
Currently, in this country, there is only one person I trust and it will take quite a while before that list grows.
Bobby darling, you are so sweet! :) And I wasn't sure if you really liked me. Now can you lend me the US$25,000 I mentioned to buy that SUV?
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Robert13212
... even if you do have the same funny accent as people I know to be a little on the looney side.
I assume that is yet another of your tired and unfunny references to me? If you think I have the same accent as Wicked Willie you are even deafer (or dumber) than I thought you were. I come from Surrey, God's Own County. I seem to remember Willie comes from some murky and indeterminate place in the Midlands?
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JuanElGriego
You respect everyone until they give you reason not to, but i referred specifically to US Police Officers because i know a few on this site and since i doubt we have any on this site from other countries.
Title's been changed. Let's move on.
How would you know or what info do you have that would lead you to doubt that this may be the case?
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JuanElGriego
You respect everyone until they give you reason not to, but i referred specifically to US Police Officers because i know a few on this site and since i doubt we have any on this site from other countries.
Title's been changed. Let's move on.
Thanks for changing the title. I was out of order though I was just trying to be "hip" (maybe not my thing :)).
But by "moving on" you gloss over the whole point of the thread, namely "Have the DR Police given us reason not to respect them?". If you are convinced we should respect them, then Robert is acting wisely. Do we all respect the DR police here? :rolleyes:
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
questner
If you are retired then befriend a retired cop.
Do not befriend just a cop, befriend a diamond in the rough cop.
Ask yorself first if you have befriended a lawyer and have got a stash or a diamond sewn up your wrist.
To befriend a cop only to expect a future benefit is ill advised anywhere.
oops, I don't actually live in DR
I can see how you would draw that conclusion about my motives because of they way I said it. I would have drawn the same conclusion now that I look at it. My bad. But in reality any future benefit from any type of relationship, with anyone here, would be a side benefit to me. It would not be the purpose of getting to know local people. I want to meet, and know, Dominicans from all walks of life.
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
weyland
Thanks for changing the title. I was out of order though I was just trying to be "hip" (maybe not my thing :)).
But by "moving on" you gloss over the whole point of the thread, namely "Have the DR Police given us reason not to respect them?". If you are convinced we should respect them, then Robert is acting wisely. Do we all respect the DR police here? :rolleyes:
You mean you were just trying to get a "hip". I hear they have excellent hip replacement surgeons in Santiago. Being concerned about your continued good health as I am, at least until December 2011, I would ask if you know how to say, "Help, I've fallen and can't get up" in Creole?
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
weyland
True, but the sort of crime they might commit again tend to be white-collar crimes against suckers. You are unlikely to be woken up at night by three gringos bursting into your house with shotguns and machetes unless you are already socializing with a dodgy crowd, Hell's Angels or druggies.
Are you serious??
What's the difference? Crime is crime, lack of character is lack of character. Just ask the victims of Bernie Maddox which is worse.
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by weyland;833633[YELLOW
]Bobby darling[/YELLOW], you are so sweet! :) And I wasn't sure if you really liked me. Now can you lend me the US$25,000 I mentioned to buy that SUV?
If you think I am one of those goofy looking British cops then the downhill spiral has started much sooner than I expected.:wink:
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
weyland
By all means, although I think they are totally accustomed to that phrase. In the U.K. they are called "the filth" and I know from personal experience that they use it jokingly themselves.
And do we respect the police of other nations, including the DR, because that is the country we are talking about, not the U.S.?
Are you serious???
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
I find it helpful to be friends with the amet...when u have friends there you can always get your way out of trafic related problems...for a couple bucks of course.
I have been fortunate to avoid problems more serious than that
Re: Socializing with the pigs in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
weyland
Not sure what your point is.
Obviously it would be better to live in a country where the police are overwhelmingly honest, efficient and friendly, but there aren't too many of those around. Maybe in North-West Europe and some former British colonies, though many would dispute even that.
Jimmy started another thread about shithole countries where I listed the downsides, including corrupt police. Obviously, having spent numerous vacations here before I immigrated I was aware of all those downsides before I came but thought that the benefits outweighed them. I still do.
Anyway, although you are very discreet about your own movements on this board, I have always assumed that you, PSR, spend (or have spent) a lot of time in the DR. In which case you are probably better qualified to answer your own question than I am. The issue is whether Robert13212 is being smart to get close to a local cop and invite him into his home.
I don't have enough experience yet to hold a firm opinion either way. But you probably do.
My point was i don't think i could live in a Country where "socializing with the Policia" would ever be an issue!!!
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
weyland
Robert posted this today and I honestly don't know what to think. I can see upsides and downsides. I guess it depends on the cop and, as we all know, relationships with Dominicans can turn sour very quickly and for tiny reasons.
What will you do, Robert, when he asks you to "loan" him RD$10000 for his daughter's eye operation (and this could well be a genuine need). If you give him the money you will be expected to cough up in future for every emergency. If you refuse, do you want to offend a cop? Once he has seen your posh house you cannot honestly say that you can't afford the money.
Certainly I would want to know any Dominican male very well before I invited them into my house.
Where I live, Billy's novia invites cops in for a beer and sometimes a meal and says it could come in useful to be on friendly terms. Billy, who has a lot of common sense experience of living down here, is less convinced. Mind you, he is paying for the beer!
The other factor is that just when you have established a real or presumed friendship, the cop may be transferred to a different town. They move them around an awful lot to try and prevent corruption, or more accurately, to make sure the proceeds of corruption are going to the right people.
What are the views and experiences of other ex-pats living in the DR?
I don't have an opinion myself, just kicking ideas around.
It's always a good idea to befriend a cop.. However, keep something in mind. This goes with befriending anybody with less than you.. policia, locals, other expats even friends back home... They will ALWAYS end up wanting some "help" from you. Live a modest life, don't show off.. be on the same level as them and others won't expect as much.
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Robert13212
... in reality any future benefit from any type of relationship, with anyone here, would be a side benefit to me. It would not be the purpose of getting to know local people. I want to meet, and know, Dominicans from all walks of life.
There is a bit of an irony here. You want to meet, know, and entertain Dominicans from all walks of life wihout expecting favors in return. But once you do really know them you will learn that the whole Dominican system functions on the "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours" system, from the colmado owner letting someone borrow something from his store up to $billion dollar contracts at cabinet level.
If you did help the cop by paying for his hypothetical daughter'e eye operation, and did not sooner or later ask for a favor in return, he would probably be uneasy and assume that you are "up to something", have something to hide, or are so incredibly rich that RD$10,000 is peanuts to you.
Re: Socializing with the Policia in the DR? Good or bad?