Woop Woop!

It's the sound of the police in my hood... .

I feel like the cops here use their sirens all the time for no reason other than to get through traffic more easily. I fear for a case of the boy who cried wolf.

In fact, even if they didn't use their sirens all the time I would still be a little afraid. The cops here could (employing hyperbole) be generalized as jokes wearing police uniforms. I mean, really. The stories you hear about people getting pulled over for drunk driving and then they just pay off the cop or people who are caught doing other things but have a crisp stack of cash to get away. Things in the newspapers and on TV, stories from friends and family all expose the corruption with the police force.

They're pretty vigilant; you see cops at their posts throughout the day and at night,  on street corners in doorways, inside stores, oh yeah it makes me feel safe. At any time.

But there are times where I walk by them, and they look me up and down. Or there are times where they don't, and I look at them and say to myself, "hey look, this street is safer because there's a police officer. Wait. Would they actually help me if I needed it?"

This isn't to knock on EVERY police officer, it is just a strange feeling sometimes to be surrounded by a government that is invaded and infested by so much corruption and realize that you might not actually have genuine support from people you should.

The people here are already on high alert; we were told to keep walking if someone is asking for help (with directions or because they are hurt) because they might be faking it and working with someone else to distract you and rob you. It's the city life and it's a reality, but what will be the point for change, and is this just a hopeless cycle?

Angela