On the Embassy thread, BrandonBP said he likes the attitude of the cops he's met in Ecuador, and I do too.
Brandon wrote:
"I could walk down the street with a bottle of beer in Banos and none of the cops accosted me. Try that in the U.S.
"The National Police came by my hostel to check passports and shook my hand and then played pool with us.
"When I got back to the USA, the customs inspectors in Atlanta held me for four hours because obviously a single male traveling from Bogota with one bag must be a drug mule."
I have also been subject to occasional police stops in Ecuador, and I have found the EC police to be cordial and often friendly, as well.
Maybe it's because Ecuador has a more peaceful culture that the police can be friendly and supportive in their attitude.
A few years ago, moving to and living in Colorado -- a state now infamous for mass shootings -- I found a different attitude.
When I pulled off the street to take a rest in downtown Denver and fell asleep for 20 minutes, my car was reported to the city police, who roused me and asked for ID. In my drowsy state, I forgot I had changed the usual location for my drivers license and couldn't immediately locate it. Next thing I knew, one cop had handcuffed me from behind and he literally dragged me out of the front seat of the car around to the trunk, then called the stationhouse to check if I had warrants out on me.
Near Evergreen, CO, cops saw me pulled over late at night while I was checking a map. When I explained I was lost, they didn't offer help of any kind but pressured me to allow them to search my car. I refused.
This is why I love Ecuador cops.
They're friendly. They don't want to search me without cause. They answer my questions with a smile.
cccmedia in Quito