police in Bogotá, Colombia’s capital, arrested Javier Ordóñez, a taxi driver and father of two, for drinking alcohol in the street. A video that went viral shows two officers pinning him down. One pressed his knee against Mr Ordóñez’s back and tasered his hips. The officers stopped the filming, but witnesses say that Mr Ordóñez was unconscious when they took him to the nearest police station. He died hours later.
This blending of soldiery and constabulary began in the 1950s. In response to political violence, in which mayors used police forces against their foes, the then-president, Gustavo Rojas Pinilla, a former army general, put the defence ministry in charge of the police. Their paramilitary status made some sense during Colombia’s war against the, a Marxist guerrilla group, which began in 1964, and its fight against drug lords like Pablo Escobar.
Urban policing is based on “quadrants”, designated patrol zones which vary in size depending on how rife crime is in the area. A two-officer team is supposed to be on patrol in each quadrant at all times. But there are too few police to meet that goal, says Alberto Sánchez, a security analyst in Bogotá. A team patrols three or four quadrants, often working overtime. Officers are exhausted.
Killings like that of Mr Ordóñez are relatively rare. Last year police killed 90 people, according to the National Institute of Legal Medicine. That is probably an underestimate. Brazilian police killed more than 5,800 in 2019. But Mr Ordóñez’s death has made police reform a big issue. Bogotá’s mayor, Claudia López, has called for the force to be transferred to civilian control, and for wayward police to be tried in ordinary courts rather than military tribunals.
They not only carry rifles, they killed 13 young protesters in two riots this month and nothing happened.
Did you see Maduro's armed groups 🤔
DiegoASantos Apoyo TOTAL a la PoliciaColombia y COL_EJERCITO 🇨🇴💪🏼 No pude leer el articulo pues no pago la suscripción...
That's the fucking idea of the communist party. We love the military forces in colombia
Come to South America fight against transnational crime organizations and try understand. Civilian or military organization of the police doesn't matter. The point is a large number of cultural, societal and political issues.
NosEstanMasacrando narcodictadura ColombiaEnAlertaRoja MasacreEnBogota
What’s your point ? You never heard of Columbia ? You don’t know what goes on there ? The damn police are UNDER armed there .
Or get shot!
Welcome to Canada. Have you looked at your own Police lately?
That’s epic
petrogustavo
Ya el CeDemocratico salió a atacar al sociocastrochavistasantista The Economist?
Edmonton, Canada just bought 1 to replace 2
Tempe, Arizona police are similar and even the motorcycle cops carry AR-15 assault rifles. Comment?
Looks like the USA police minus the green
That's not police but military. Soldiers can't be cops and cops can't be soldiers
julyth12
XeuleBot
´The same for Carabineros de Chile and the Militar Polices of Brasil
You have not done your research. Check what is happening in Sri Lanka!
There had never been of this form only until 60 years ago it was linked at goverment ministery, but had to be switched due at troubles insistes,but now anything might happen
Una gran fuerza que evidencia la ridiculez de otros países donde los policías son gordos come donas elegidos por voto
ABRI ....
Hahaha! 😁 'Colombia is a democracy' 😁 😂 HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Which means Colombia is not a democracy, it is a military controlled police state.
Took you long enough juandamme C1Apuntes
i mean considering the countries history with civil wars and insurgency it is understandable that the defense ministry controls the police in a more stable democracy this would be worrying
Their police has better gears than military.
That's why thy'll join the NATO.
Can you find Colombia on a map?
Does the song on my profile have potential to blow up?
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