Tulum, Q.R. — The Tulum Secretariat of Public Security and Citizen Protection (SSPyPC) says corruption is a two-way street. The agency says citizens are just as responsible for bribery as are its officers.
The comment was made by the SSPyPC (Secretaría de Seguridad Pública y Protección Ciudadana) of Tulum Wednesday after another bribery video went viral.
This latest video shows a Tulum Transit officer stopping a driver in broad daylight and taking money in exchange for no arrest, no tow or ticket.
The dashcam video captures the officer approaching the vehicle where the driver sat waiting with the window down and paper money in hand.
The exchange took a second and was followed by less than a minute of chit chat before a parting handshake.
In their public response, Tulum authorities did not say the officer had been relieved of his duties, only that “the corresponding administrative procedures have been initiated.”
The SSPyPC of Tulum reported yesterday that “the corresponding administrative procedures have been initiated” against the involved Transit officer and that he will be “investigated and sanctioned according to the law.”
They also say citizens need to fulfill their obligations by “preventing bribery from “taking hold”.
“Regarding the video circulating on social media, in which a member of this agency is seen receiving money from a citizen, the Tulum Secretariat of Public Security and Citizen Protection reports that the corresponding administrative procedures have been initiated immediately to clarify the facts and determine any applicable responsibilities,” they said yesterday.
“Corruption is a two-way street; fulfill your obligations and prevent bribery from taking hold.
“The Tulum SSPyPC reiterates its commitment to transparency, legality, and public trust, guaranteeing that any conduct contrary to institutional principles will be investigated and sanctioned according to the law.”
One Tulum citizen pointed out that “the corruption lies with the police officer who receives bribes because of his authority. He can accuse the citizen of bribery, but if he doesn’t, he becomes guilty because if he doesn’t issue the citation, he’s guilty.
“Furthermore, the citizen is reporting the incident so it can’t be said that it’s both sides because at the time, the officer is pressuring the citizen to take that kind of action. Watch out, the officer is guilty.”
Another Tulum resident said “Keep watching. The day a police officer does their job properly, that’s the day you’ll stop uploading videos because traffic enforcement is corrupt, and citizens are too, offering money.
“Let this video be a lesson for corrupt police officers and for citizens who like to expedite their paperwork by paying bribes.”
