Keith Woolford Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) Apparently as a result of yesterday's murder of two officers at a similar checkpoint in Chilibre, all personnel scheduled at 'puestos de control' nationwide have been reassigned. The Mayor of Boquete stated emphatically that he is not in agreement with this measure. Edited October 15, 2017 by Keith Woolford 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Oh no. That is another poor decision this week! Hope the mayor can get this reversed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Now the bad guys can rape and plunder us freely. I am sure that's exactly what the criminals moving about wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 Wondered why ours in Potrerillos had disappeared..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantah Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 1 hour ago, Brundageba said: Now the bad guys can rape and plunder us freely. I am sure that's exactly what the criminals moving about wanted. Good news for me. Now the police will be reassigned to actually where crime are occuring. I had to wait 25 minutes for a serious crime in progress (attempted home invasion) in Bajo Boquete. I am sure the tow company operators are bummed though. Better optics for tourism (no Norieaga like garitas). Makes the point moot of staffing a second checkpoint when the Potrerillos - Palmira road is completed. PS: crime in my neighborhood actually went up after checkpoint was installed, probably caused by the 20k persons that live north of it. PPS: there has always been 2 routes to circumvent the checkpoint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 21 minutes ago, Pantah said: Good news for me. Now the police will be reassigned to actually where crime are occuring. I had to wait 25 minutes for a serious crime in progress (attempted home invasion) in Bajo Boquete. I am sure the tow company operators are bummed though. Better optics for tourism (no Norieaga like garitas). Makes the point moot of staffing a second checkpoint when the Potrerillos - Palmira road is completed. PS: crime in my neighborhood actually went up after checkpoint was installed, probably caused by the 20k persons that live north of it. PPS: there has always been 2 routes to circumvent the checkpoint. I don't think any of us believed that the checkpoint could last indefinitely, but there is no doubt in my mind that it has been a great deterrent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 15, 2017 Author Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Pantah said: PS: crime in my neighborhood actually went up after checkpoint was installed, Please provide any statistics which would back up that statement. Edited October 15, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 15, 2017 Author Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, Woody said: I don't think any of us believed that the checkpoint could last indefinitely, but there is no doubt in my mind that it has been a great deterrent. Quote probably caused by the 20k persons that live north of it. Have a look at the weapon that the Police found on a suspicious looking subject they observed at the bus stop near Los Algarrobos about 2 hours ago if you think the bad guys are all up here. Edited October 15, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantah Posted October 15, 2017 Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) 35 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: Please provide any statistics which would back up that statement. 35 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: Please provide any statistics which would back up that statement. Gladly, in my neighborhood (of 10 houses) 3 of those experienced these crimes (one attempted home invasion, one successful breakin) and a theft from a car. Furthermore 3 of the houses installed bars afterwards. I live in a poor neighborhood. I believe one of the crimes was from a local, the other 2 probably, as my neighborhood is not likely to be surveilled by outsiders. Since nobody was caught, no way to check. BTW there was a home burglary in Bajo Boquete in the last couple of weeks, where a young ladrone was photographed from behind in one of the major news publications. He used a pistol. I can't find any details of where, who, etc. I would like to know. Edited October 15, 2017 by Pantah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 15, 2017 Author Share Posted October 15, 2017 48 minutes ago, Pantah said: Gladly, in my neighborhood (of 10 houses) 3 of those experienced these crimes (one attempted home invasion, one successful breakin) and a theft from a car It seems ludicrous to attach blame for any of these incidents on the presence of a Police checkpoint, which in the opinion of officials and other residents, has lowered crime in the area. Who's to say that the officers from there would be reassigned to the village of Boquete, anyway? 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundageba Posted October 16, 2017 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Every time we drive through there now and the police aren't there I'm bummed. I really miss those guys. BUT we do have Flossy ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 17, 2017 Author Share Posted October 17, 2017 On 15 de octubre de 2017 at 4:30 PM, Pantah said: BTW there was a home burglary in Bajo Boquete in the last couple of weeks, where a young ladrone was photographed from behind in one of the major news publications. He used a pistol. I can't find any details of where, who, etc. I would like to know. Here is that report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantah Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 On 10/15/2017 at 5:29 PM, Keith Woolford said: It seems ludicrous to attach blame for any of these incidents on the presence of a Police checkpoint, which in the opinion of officials and other residents, has lowered crime in the area. Who's to say that the officers from there would be reassigned to the village of Boquete, anyway? The police commander is to say, here is what I stated "Now the police will be reassigned to actually where crimes are occurring". There is crime in Palmira and Potrerillos, etc. It is not about me. BTW I attach the blame on the perps, no one else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted October 17, 2017 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Pantah, it is beginning to sound like you want police presence outside your house 24/7 and the hell with anyone else. I sincerely hope that is not the case. My neighbour (in Potrerillos) was almost killed in a home invasion. As responsible citizens, we as a local community have now taken precautions, including a neighbourhood watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bondoux Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Drove to David today, passing the Caldera turnoff at 11:30am. Checkpoint was active, with four officers, a Policia pickup truck and a motorcycle. Came back at 6:00pm, and no trace of a checkpoint. Perhaps the police intend to man the checkpoint at random times, which will be almost as good, if not better, a deterrent to visitors with "bad intentions". Also, another accident just above Brisas - sedan flipped in the dividing storm drain and governmental pickup truck with seriously bashed-in front end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlit Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 That Honda CRV is mine. The government pickup rear ended me at an enormous speed. Two wonderful gentlemen, each going different directions helped me out of the car and generally looked after me for about 4 hours. Also, Anna from Magda Crespo's Office was there almost immediately and stayed the entire time. I am truly blessed! (and sore). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantah Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 9 hours ago, Jim Bondoux said: Drove to David today, passing the Caldera turnoff at 11:30am. Checkpoint was active, with four officers, a Policia pickup truck and a motorcycle. Came back at 6:00pm, and no trace of a checkpoint. Perhaps the police intend to man the checkpoint at random times, which will be almost as good, if not better, a deterrent to visitors with "bad intentions". Also, another accident just above Brisas - sedan flipped in the dividing storm drain and governmental pickup truck with seriously bashed-in front end. I share Keith's desire for statistics to know if the checkpoint is really effective. Since my last post on this I learned of three more crimes in my neighbourhood, all done by locals. So there is no confusion, I moved here from a city where they changed their resource allocation of community policing after years increasing crime, and it worked. Again, it is not about me. I am willing to change my stance if I can get facts instead of opinions on this. Also I have been talking to some merchants in Bajo Boquete, and they talk about response times on the order of hours. According to one of them, she knows of four holdups on the Feria bridge at nighttime. I learned all this yesterday, just by going out and asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 20, 2017 Author Share Posted October 20, 2017 1 hour ago, Pantah said: I share Keith's desire for statistics to know if the checkpoint is really effective. Since my last post on this I learned of three more crimes in my neighbourhood, all done by locals. So there is no confusion, I moved here from a city where they changed their resource allocation of community policing after years increasing crime, and it worked. Again, it is not about me. I am willing to change my stance if I can get facts instead of opinions on this. Also I have been talking to some merchants in Bajo Boquete, and they talk about response times on the order of hours. According to one of them, she knows of four holdups on the Feria bridge at nighttime. I learned all this yesterday, just by going out and asking. Have you organized a Vecinos Vigilantes or Neighbourhood Watch program in your area? Did you attend the neighbourhood anti-crime symposium at the Fairgrounds held by the Police? Can you identify the 'locals' who committed the 'three more (unnamed) crimes' in your area ? Can you give us the details of the 'four holdups on the Feria bridge"? Which merchants had 'hours-long response time' to 'what crimes'? Can you share that information with the rest of the community or are you just spreading bochinche? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 20, 2017 Author Share Posted October 20, 2017 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: I moved here from a city where they changed their resource allocation of community policing after years increasing crime, and it worked. Maybe you should consider moving back there then because you won't change this community by complaining about it. Edited October 20, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted October 20, 2017 Share Posted October 20, 2017 On 10/16/2017 at 12:40 PM, Brundageba said: Every time we drive through there now and the police aren't there I'm bummed. I really miss those guys. BUT we do have Flossy ! Book em Danno! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted October 21, 2017 Author Share Posted October 21, 2017 (edited) At a "productive" meeting today with President Varela, Mayor Walker and members of civil society from Boquete including representatives of Vecinos Vigilantes, Comercios Vigilantes, and Ganaderos Vigilantes expressed their concerns about insecurity in the area caused by the removal of officers from the checkpoint. They also reviewed progress on public works and problems the community is facing. source: Alcaldia Edited October 21, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bondoux Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 Some activity this morning: major checkpoint at the highway bend below Frances Arriba at 10:30am - four or five officers and vehicles, checking traffic in both directions. Two police sedans in Los Algorrobos, one with officer pointing radar gun at David-bound traffic, the other writing up speeders. Both control points were clear at 1pm when I returned to Boquete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Querencia Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Judging by the number of vehicles sometimes pulled over at the checkpoint it is definitely effective in some respects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Checkpoint is in full operation today, stopping traffic in both directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 (edited) I was stopped going to David about 9:30 and observed a long line of cars coming into Boquete that were backed up at the checkpoint. I was checked going toward David. Just a ways back, around the entrance to Brisas, I ran into what looked like the President's motorcade. Apparently he is spending the long weekend in Boquete. Everything had died down when I returned about 12:30; I sailed right through. Edited November 9, 2017 by Bonnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.