Public Safety @ Ibero

My policeman app

So here's the thing. Police like any institution holds some reputation. If people aren't happy with a service, most likely, they will discontinue it's use. Now, what happens when that service is public safety? I guess, then what happens is, they get invited to colleges and schools wearing their finest uniforms.

In any public college, I really don't know if and how this would have played out. They brought this cool robot that defuses bombs, policemen in bikes, the alcohol meter program, the fight against graffiti unit and some CPR dummies.

I asked one officer how did they measure the offence of a graffiti criminal. "By square meter? Or content wise? If a punk writes LOVE is better than writing PUTOS?" I jokingly said. Gravely he said, "No, it actually depends on the place that's perpetrated and the severity of the offence. "Oh I get it, it's not the same if they write on an abandoned wall or in Angélica Rivera's Casa Blanca. He restrained himself from laughing. I couldn't help it.

Then I passed by the bomb squad robot. I asked the police officer if the robot was in charge of getting into tunnels and chasing El Chapo down. It was like watching someone chew some tin foil over a dental filling. I was laughing of course, but he wasn't. He quickly explained he was part of the bomb squad, I smiled saying I knew that, that I was just kidding.

I know, all of the police forces are not corrupt. Yet, if given the chance to avoid crossing my path into their line of service, I would choose that in a heartbeat. It will take more than a little brochure of criminal prevention and clean-cut officers to convince anyone that these units actually care for their communities.

I would have loved to see another brochure where other real situations could be depicted. Instead of what to do if you go into a bank and try to prevent your money to get stolen, what about this: If you suspect a governor is trying to kill you, what do you need to do in order to prevent your own murder? Or what about, if you were once an activist searching for the bodies of the 43 Disappeared Ayotzinapa students and suspect you could get killed, please call this hotline and we'll make sure to protect your identity and safety immediately? Or even a better one: If a policeman is trying to extort your family, follow the next steps... Real situations, to hard-core real problems, you know?