The Police in Sonoita are out of control!

Queen of Kings

Well Known Member
I went through at 8 am today heading north. Approaching town I was by myself. So I pulled over 10 km outside and waited until a convoy of cars traveling 80 mph passed me. I pulled in behind them. Immediately before the hill with the 40 kph sign at top they all slowed down to 20 mph and crested the hill. I then crested it at 20 mph, last in line and concerned they might pick me off. Fortunately, at that moment a large pickup crested behind me, obviously slowing but still well over 25 mph at the moment it crossed the plane of the sign. I watched the cop point the radar gun at it while the driver and passenger winced in my rear view. We went went pass the cop as he lit up and pulled in behind the truck. At the moment the cop pulled out, a second cop car advanced to take his place, like taxis at the airport awaiting their turn.
So wait a minute. If every Sonoyta police officer is corrupt, and this board seems to think so, why would they actually waste their time using a radar gun and an actual law breaker before pulling them over? It doesn't pass the smell taste. A corrupt officer would just make up any old infraction and stop any old car any old time........
 

PuroPelicano

Junior Member
I have read here and on Facebook of people saying they would just drive away and leave their license with the police. Has anyone actually done this? I'm not certain why people feel the police won't chase them down and things would get worse.
In my state of Nevada, you can go online and request a duplicate license for $18, and it will be mailed to your home. There doesn't seem to be any requirement that you attest it was lost or stolen; it seems you can just get "an extra." If I were going to Rocky Point all the time, I would get a duplicate license and let the cop take it, if that's what it came to. (I'd even let them keep my original without having a back up if it were necessary.) I would also let them take the license and keep it if it were one of those deals where you have to go down to the station to get it. However, I would NOT drive away from a Mexican traffic stop. They probably have a car waiting on the other side of town for people who do that kind of stuff, and in all honesty, I would not be surprised if those motorists are subject to "extra judicial" types of punishment, ranging from auto confiscation to physical abuse. Driving away from a traffic stop is disrespectful, and an invitation to be shot at if they think you are armed, dangerous, carrying drugs or whatever.
 

brokenwave

Well Known Member
We we're stopped going exactly 38kph, the Sonoyta cop showed us a radar gun with 57kph displayed. I laughed and said "No lo creo".
I mentioned Mordida es malo, and No lo creo a few times and he let us go. They must have radar displays they can program or put on
hold from somebody previously going 57kph.
 

richwi

Well Known Member
We we're stopped going exactly 38kph, the Sonoyta cop showed us a radar gun with 57kph displayed. I laughed and said "No lo creo".
I mentioned Mordida es malo, and No lo creo a few times and he let us go. They must have radar displays they can program or put on
hold from somebody previously going 57kph.
I have read other people saying the radar gun said 57! It's probably stuck there.
 

dirtsurfer

Well Known Member
Forum Supporter
It’s the crawl, stopping for eternity at stop signs and maybe saying a prayer. In general we make it with no issues-as most do but the impunity and wanton disrespect for any rule of law is a big reason Mexico is where it is at. Every single act of corruption hurts everyone in the country.
 

playavader

Junior Member
In my state of Nevada, you can go online and request a duplicate license for $18, and it will be mailed to your home. There doesn't seem to be any requirement that you attest it was lost or stolen; it seems you can just get "an extra." If I were going to Rocky Point all the time, I would get a duplicate license and let the cop take it, if that's what it came to. (I'd even let them keep my original without having a back up if it were necessary.) I would also let them take the license and keep it if it were one of those deals where you have to go down to the station to get it. However, I would NOT drive away from a Mexican traffic stop. They probably have a car waiting on the other side of town for people who do that kind of stuff, and in all honesty, I would not be surprised if those motorists are subject to "extra judicial" types of punishment, ranging from auto confiscation to physical abuse. Driving away from a traffic stop is disrespectful, and an invitation to be shot at if they think you are armed, dangerous, carrying drugs or whatever.
It depends on the situation. For example I went through this one time in Santa Ana, Sonora going to the veternians office. I parked my car, got out and started walking. All of a sudden 3 police walk up behind us and say we did a U turn. They took my license and gave me a ticket with no specific amount on it. They told me to go down to the police station later and pay it to get my license back. After we got done at the Vet we took off back to Magdalena. By Monday I got a new license in Tucson. Since then I have been back to Santa Ana many times with a different car now.
 

dirtsurfer

Well Known Member
Forum Supporter
I have read here and on Facebook of people saying they would just drive away and leave their license with the police. Has anyone actually done this? I'm not certain why people feel the police won't chase them down and things would get worse.
I have thought about doing this. I only bring color copies of my titles to Mexico, maybe a laminated color copy of my drivers license will help. The best is to let my wife drive, then when she gets pulled over for doing nothing she rips on the officers until they back away, and they have backed down several times. I think it is a man-woman thing.
 

brokenwave

Well Known Member
Yep, I have seen a couple of times where the women driving was ripping into the Sonoyta Police officer and they seemed to want no part of that.
One time was with my wife along with me saying "No lo creo". (I don't think so) They let us go.
But a few times I've seen a woman and guys giving $$ to the police.
They seem to like scared, intimated people to steal from.
 

Mexico Joe

Cholla Bay 4 Life
Yep, I have seen a couple of times where the women driving was ripping into the Sonoyta Police officer and they seemed to want no part of that.
One time was with my wife along with me saying "No lo creo". (I don't think so) They let us go.
But a few times I've seen a woman and guys giving $$ to the police.
They seem to like scared, intimated people to steal from.
Apparently they don't like handicaps either. I scare EVERYONE in Mexico trying to do THERE (their) job. The Guardia National, as soon as they see the hand control the whole, "can you get out of the car" part goes away immediately followed by a "ok" have a good day. Pretty sure I wrote about it on one of the threads here about a year or two ago. We crossed at about 1030pm one night with the YET SKY in tow and got yanked by an oncoming police car right at the 80kph sign just west of the buen viaje sign leaving Sonoyta. The guy says I was going 61mph which is coincidentally the number that used to be set at on the gun for FAKE stops back in 2012 or around that time frame. That is also documented on this forum. I had my head glued to the speedometer as always and hadn't cracked 45kph as we had just passed the last part of town. 61 was such an unreasonable stretch that I absolutely lost my mind. Wouldn't be the first time that I've shared my mind with a law enforcement officer. All in all after 5 minutes of them asking to get out of the car and me essentially saying no thank you in a very upset and verbally frustrated way they gave up.

Fortunately we were on our way to RP. Unfortunately, now, I had to be SENTENCED by Claudia for the next 30 minutes of her yelling at me that I went too far with those cops and that she was scared that they were going to do something with us. So to be honest, in retrospect, the $40 bribe would have made my life easier. Claudia is an absolute PITBULL when she's angry...
 

brokenwave

Well Known Member
Apparently they don't like handicaps either. I scare EVERYONE in Mexico trying to do THERE (their) job. The Guardia National, as soon as they see the hand control the whole, "can you get out of the car" part goes away immediately followed by a "ok" have a good day. Pretty sure I wrote about it on one of the threads here about a year or two ago. We crossed at about 1030pm one night with the YET SKY in tow and got yanked by an oncoming police car right at the 80kph sign just west of the buen viaje sign leaving Sonoyta. The guy says I was going 61mph which is coincidentally the number that used to be set at on the gun for FAKE stops back in 2012 or around that time frame. That is also documented on this forum. I had my head glued to the speedometer as always and hadn't cracked 45kph as we had just passed the last part of town. 61 was such an unreasonable stretch that I absolutely lost my mind. Wouldn't be the first time that I've shared my mind with a law enforcement officer. All in all after 5 minutes of them asking to get out of the car and me essentially saying no thank you in a very upset and verbally frustrated way they gave up.

Fortunately we were on our way to RP. Unfortunately, now, I had to be SENTENCED by Claudia for the next 30 minutes of her yelling at me that I went too far with those cops and that she was scared that they were going to do something with us. So to be honest, in retrospect, the $40 bribe would have made my life easier. Claudia is an absolute PITBULL when she's angry...
It seems like many females are Pitbull's when angry, When my wife is angry, I want to stay away. They seem to get worse with age.
 

PNW Marc

New Member
We we're stopped going exactly 38kph, the Sonoyta cop showed us a radar gun with 57kph displayed. I laughed and said "No lo creo".
I mentioned Mordida es malo, and No lo creo a few times and he let us go. They must have radar displays they can program or put on
hold from somebody previously going 57kph.
Careful now. A certain someone might call you out as a bold faced liar ;) My family flew into PHX last week and we took the Head Out to Rocky Point shuttle down to the Grand Mayan. Solid reco for them. I opted not to drive because I can't trust myself to stay cool if my integrity is called into question by a peacekeeper. The irony is I'd be more than willing to drop a $20 on a policia or anyone who came to the window just asking for a donation. Just don't masquerade it as a false accusation. Anyways, my shuttle driver who was doing a 2X down and back that day said that crap happens all the time. I did see two cars pulled over, both with AZ plates, but I can't say if they deserved it or not. Wouldn't be surprised either way really. On the way back I saw an AZ plate crawling along with a 5th wheel and a line of cars literally 20 deep behind him. He was clearly not taking any chances. Hope he made it through unscathed. Anyways, thanks to the folks on this forum for helping me make an informed decision. Interweb 1 - Corrupt Police 0.
 

brokenwave

Well Known Member
The day's of a $20 bill taking care of the alleged infraction are long gone. Today's payoff asking prices start at $80.
Typically $100-$140, but sometimes they will negotiate for what's in your wallet if less than their asking price.
I wish Sonoyta would just charge a $10 per car entry fee for us Gringo's and hopefully the Police, handicapped pan handlers
would get a cut and visitors would actually want to stop for a visit even a taco or 2.
 

Mexico Joe

Cholla Bay 4 Life
The day's of a $20 bill taking care of the alleged infraction are long gone. Today's payoff asking prices start at $80.
Typically $100-$140, but sometimes they will negotiate for what's in your wallet if less than their asking price.
I wish Sonoyta would just charge a $10 per car entry fee for us Gringo's and hopefully the Police, handicapped pan handlers
would get a cut and visitors would actually want to stop for a visit even a taco or 2.
I would 100% donate $10 every trip IMMEDIATELY to never be harassed by the Sonoyta police for the rest of my life. If money is what they want, let me do you a favor and ZELLE you that $7 passage fee before I even get there.
 

wihint

Junior Member
Left to head home at 5 today. We were followed by Sonoyta PD from the time we entered town until we passed the "Wendys hamburguesas". The kids all turned their cell phones towards the police car, waving and smiling along with filming....they were not pleased but we were creeping along....gps with dash camera was on too. They turned around and pulled over a lifted CA plate truck immediately. All in all good trip town was very busy.
 

Queen of Kings

Well Known Member
Left to head home at 5 today. We were followed by Sonoyta PD from the time we entered town until we passed the "Wendys hamburguesas". The kids all turned their cell phones towards the police car, waving and smiling along with filming....they were not pleased but we were creeping along....gps with dash camera was on too. They turned around and pulled over a lifted CA plate truck immediately. All in all good trip town was very busy.
By creeping along you mean obeying the speed limit? And because you were not breaking traffic laws you didn't get stopped or ticketed. Unthinkable!
 

dirtsurfer

Well Known Member
Forum Supporter
The police harassment in Sonoyta means no stopping for tacos or beer in Sonoyta-the cops are corrupt, period, and it is hurting everyone’s economy. Filming works well, having your wife bitch them out works better. Maybe we all should just drive 4MPH through town and back up traffic, do this all of the time.-be such a big hassle that the locals complain that we all are going too slow. Jam it down their own throats In a legal manner. Something needs to happen.
 
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