Crime and, well, crime

Reading the news from back home, I'm hearing about government budget problems and cuts of all sorts. Even the Governator can't cut through all these issues. It made me think about how it is to live without an effective police force, because that's exactly where I live. Lagos, Nigeria.

It's a two class society, I'm in the privileged class. So let me describe that.

First of all, the house. Protected from the street by a high wall, topped with razor wire (picture taken from my back door). The compound gate is manned 24/7 by (unarmed) private security. They are pretty diligent about opening the gate only for people they know, either residents or employees. Others they challenge and get permission from a resident before allowing entry. Two armed (AK47) policemen (paid for by us) on duty backing up the private guards. I always greet them when entering or leaving, who knows? they may well be my saviors some day.

The home compound is inside a gated community (VGC). There is a first screening at the entrance off the expressway where pedestrians are required to show a pass and vehicles screened. This is pretty loose, for example a nice car gets waved through and being well dressed helps to get through the pedestrian gate.

The next gate also checks vehicles and walkers. This is more strict with taxis and construction trucks all stopped and questioned. It is usual to see these folks and various pedestrians on their cell phones calling their destinations to get clearance for entry. The community shuttle buses are also stopped here to check passengers passes. For example, my car has a resident sticker on the windscreen and our cook has been issued a pass to facilitate her entry.

When we travel to the airport, we are in a company bus and accompanied by a trailing police vehicle. The bus driver and police both have radios and can call for help as needed. We also are assigned a police escort when traveling at night or during periods of unrest like elections or local festivals. In our private car, always with a trained driver, we also have two-way radios and can (and should) call for assistance if we are ever stopped or harassed.

For example, two weeks ago, I was in the car on the road to the local market, the one frequented by expats, not my usual choice. A narrow road with big potholes and not much room to manoeuvre because of vendors on both sides. A man jumped out in front of the car waving a ID card of some sort and yelling about the "radio tax". There is actually a radio tax, to be paid by all users of two way radios in the state. But this guy was just an "area boy" waving his national identity card and bent on collecting some cash. I had never seen Jesse (my driver) more incensed, I was encouraging him to be calm, but he seemed determined to run the guy over. After yelling that the company had paid the tax, never opening a window that might allow greedy hands to come in, we were allowed to pass.

Getting back to the original subject, that's what it's like without an effective police force. I have also visited Johannesburg where it's even worse, at least judging from the fortifications around the houses, even in the nicer areas. I hope California doesn't become like that.