Re: Traffic police

Logic easy - a few ribbons are the ONLY compensation!
Promoting that as a big achievment deviates the concern
from the real problem - the payment.

I don't admire or promote lego-soldiers, but their pecuniar
compensation reflects the REAL value of a very hazardous
occupation, to some (distant) extent similar to police work.

In most other "civil" jobs, you'd get a big, fat "risk compensation", just to climb a high ladder.

As a low-level policeman, the compensation of loosing a leg
or an arm is another ribbon and maybe 25 pesos more a month.

Providing you caught the villain and still can be of use to the
force...

I'm the first one to regret the NEED for police, as well as
firesqauds and hospitals, but unfortunately the need is
here! And I'm prepared to pay my share for a good nights
sleep!

/Gunnar

First. Low pay and danger in the job does not justify EXTORTION to compensate. And the tourist that spends more at the bar than the police makes in a month...I am sure the tourist EARNED the money he is spending.
Second. You keep referring to low pay. I am sure they knew in advance what the pay was and the "benefits". No one is forced to join the ranks of police. It is not like being drafted for the army. Some police feel the license and badge gives them the right to "appropriate" what ever they need.
Third. Despised. Respect is EARNED.

You're totally right - one injustice does't justify another,
and a policeman is supposed to uphold the law, not break it!

What I mean is that, most of the time, "we get what we pay for".
I've seen some really hard-working, honest policemen in work,
where no bribes would help, and there were many offered.
Noone seems to notice these however. They just get spat
at for doing their job.

The choices for someone whose parents didn't have the
opportunity/knowledge to provide education and/or manners are
limited:

1. Common thief.
2. Begger
3. (if VERY lucky) dishwasher, street cleaner etc

A "career" as police or military might seem more attractive
for some people than any of the above.

Shouldn't we be thankful that some people actually chose
such ungrateful occupations, and accept the basic fact:

Quality cost. Are we prepared to pay for that?

Best wishes, and thank you for all your valuable contributions
on the board. Professionals freely sharing advice and
knowledge defy the above statement about quality, and might
be the ultimate way of minimizing bad effects of human
errors. The latter of which I have contributed plenty...

/Gunnar

You are absolutely correct. GOOD government is EXPENSIVE. However, like good medical care; everyone wants it but no one wants to pay the price!

And a very happy holiday season to you and the rest of the Board and may 2001 bring health and happiness to all.

ECH

Right. Let's close 2000 and work together for 2001. Maybe sounds
futile, but if we don't at least try...

Let's see. If everyone sacrified one minute a week, we'd
have some 100 million man-hours to work with. Per week.