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A NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM
[police siren wailing]
[suspenseful music playing]
[police siren wailing continues]
"You will hear the sirens singing
Closer and closer to you
Pray that they are not singing
This night for you."
Officer Daniel Alatorre, Second Lieutenant.
Winner of the 3rd Regional Police Poetry Contest.
[car engine rumbling softly]
[police siren wailing]
[cop 1] Twenty-five, C-4, Dispatch.
[cop 2] Command, I've already reported
that Tango 45 is attending a 16 on Palacio.
Us crew members are boarding Tango 41, as well.
It's the only unit I have en route…
[cop 3] They're requesting my assistance. A female, 52, and her son
are being followed by two guys on a motorcycle.
Over by Aurrerá supermarket.
[cop 4] Approaching in two.
[cop 5] One conscious, one unconscious, 23.
López and Flamingos.
[cop 6] I'm requesting backup, 81.
[cop 7] Let me know if you go inside in five.
[cop 8] C-4 from Perla dispatch.
[cop 9] Eight-zero-nine, give me your 94.
Eight-zero-nine, your 94?
[patrol officer] This is 809.
[cop 9] What is your 94, 809?
[patrol officer] I'm on Euzkaro.
Shortly crossing Misterios.
[cop 9] They're requesting a 66 on Constancia… [static noise]
[patrol officer] "Constancia," what?
[cop 9] …section seven. Constancia, second floor, third door, interior F.
[patrol officer] In five. I'm heading towards K-100.
[police siren wailing]
[cop 10] Two here, I'm at third.
[siren blaring]
[car horn honking]
[cop 11] He's proceeding through Portales and…
[cop 12] It's two, there's a 37.
There's a fire on Pastizal, as well.
It appears there was an explosion…
[patrol officer] God dammit.
[cop 12] …a unit from the Red Cross.
[patrol officer] Step onto the sidewalk, please.
-[whispers] This fucking asshole… -[siren blares]
[cop 13] I'll give you directions. Chaineli and San Cristóbal.
They informed us of a fight, 252. They're no longer there. Now on 11.
[patrol officer] Step up onto the sidewalk, please.
[cop 14] Squad, via patrol.
They're asking me to find out
if there's a number for the anti-kidnapping hotline.
[police radio beeping]
[cop 15] Three-four, before Maravillas.
[car window winding down]
[man] Good evening, Officer.
[patrol officer] Good evening. Is this 25 Constancia?
[man] Yes. Is the ambulance on the way?
[patrol officer] Dispatch, this is 809.
I'm at the K-100, 25 Constancia. I'm going to proceed with a K-11.
[car window winding up]
[car door opens]
-[car door closes] -[cop 16] Bro, seven-coke for 41 Posada.
[cop 17] Okay, Victor 44 reports that they have a minor with them.
At the pharmacy. Please confirm.
[cop 18] I will confirm in five.
[cop 19] At 40 Avenida Ocho, in Las Águilas,
they're requesting a 12, via local networks.
They reported that a truck has crashed into a clothing store.
I spoke to the lady who owns the store upon arrival,
and she stated that a brown Ford truck collided.
They reached an agreement among themselves.
No further news, commune five.
[car door opens]
[patrol officer] Dispatch, this is 809.
I can confirm that a Z-14 will be required promptly.
-[radio beeps] -[patrol officer] Dispatch, this is 809.
Affirmative, it will be needed at K-100.
Constancia number 25, need a Z-14 right away.
[cop 20] Coming up in five or eight meters,
although the units are at 29.
-Approach… -[car door slams]
[man] Good evening, Officer.
[patrol officer] Good evening, sir.
[man] We've been waiting for two hours…
[patrol officer] Could you show me the residence, please?
[woman 1] Yes, but is the ambulance on the way?
[patrol officer] As I said, ma'am, I've requested a medical unit.
-It's en route. -We wanted an ambulance, not a patrol.
[woman 2] Go on, it's horrible.
We're waiting for the ambulance.
-[boy] It's here. -[man 1] We didn't ask for a cop car.
We asked for an ambulance. We've been calling for two hours.
[patrol officer exclaims]
[man 1] What are they saying?
What?
[woman] So?
Nothing?
[man 2] Are you gonna help us?
[upbeat music plays at distance]
Fuck that.
[patrol officer] I just wanted to see.
[whispering] Hey, guess what?
I'm in deep shit.
I'm with a woman who's in labor, and the Z-14 isn't here.
Give me that bitch's personal number.
The one at dispatch.
And keep trying with Z-14. Come on, it's serious.
It feels awful.
-[man 2] Deep breaths. -[woman grunts]
Dispatch, this is 809. What happened to the Z-14 for 25 Constancia?
Dispatch, come on. The lady is in serious condition.
The neighbors are really angry too. What happened with the Z-14?
[dispatch officer] My understanding was a 142, street 15, number 12.
It's a 29 among neighbors.
Contact Daniel García Pérez.
-Numeral 200 would get there in 11. -[car engine starts]
Also, the 114-Alpha and the 146 wasn't 91 anymore.
[car idling]
[car engine stops]
[grunting]
Breathe, ma'am. Breathe.
[groaning]
-[man] That's it. Breathe. -[exhales]
-[man] Good. That's it. -[labored breathing]
-It's over. -[man] Relax.
[grunting, sobbing]
[patrol officer] In the Academy, we didn't have first-aid classes
or medical training.
I thought, "What am I going to do?"
So, I spoke frankly with the gentleman.
I said, "Yes, I've got my gloves."
Because I tend to carry equipment that I've bought myself.
And that I… I try to have it on me at all times.
I said, "I've got my gloves, but I'll be honest with you,
I have no medical expertise whatsoever."
"No, get an ambulance!" I said, "Yes, I've requested one, but it's not my call."
"My role is simply to find the location
and confirm that it's a real situation, so that they can send an ambulance."
[woman grunting]
[woman breathing heavily]
-[patrol officer] Here it comes! -[man] That's it. Push. That's it.
Almost there.
[grunting]
-[man] That's it! -[moaning]
-[man] Push! -[groaning]
-[man] That's it! -[grunts]
-[patrol officer] Almost there. -[man] Here it comes.
-That's it, push! -[woman screaming]
[patrol officer] That's it, ma'am! That's it!
-[man] There you go. You got this! -[woman straining]
-[screaming] -There you go, sweetie!
-[bellows in agony] -[man] There you go!
-[woman strains, screams] -Almost there!
Push, sweetie!
There you go!
[woman breathing heavily]
-[man] Do you feel that? -[patrol officer] It's over.
-[baby crying] -[man] Take it easy. Look. It's done.
[woman grunts]
[patrol officer] It got to the point where I saw so much blood,
the umbilical cord and everything,
that the only thing I could think of was to grab my phone.
Since my husband was off work,
I called him on his cell to tell him, "Know what?"
"I'm assisting a woman in labor, call an ambulance."
"No, are you crazy?"
So I got backup from my husband.
And the lady started groaning again. "I can't take the pain!"
And I thought, "You already gave birth. What else do you want?"
I said, "Grab a pot." He said, "What for?"
"The placenta is causing the pain. It's not out yet."
I said, "You'll have to excuse me,
I'm not sure if this is sanitary, but we'll use these."
"Sure, Officer."
I said, "If you authorize me, there is some risk involved."
"If it works out, we would be okay,
but if it doesn't, it's my responsibility
because it wasn't my call to begin with."
And he gave me these kiddie scissors.
I said, "I can't use those to cut it, sir."
"What else, then?"
I remember well, without a shadow of a doubt,
the ambulance arrived at 1:50 a.m.
The paramedics finally came in. Everyone cursed at them.
They shoved them around, and they barely made their way in.
They said, "It's already born." I reply, "Yeah."
And they go, "It's already born. What do you expect us to do?"
Mind you, they turn back and said, "Where's the placenta?"
Among us, it's common knowledge,
the paramedics fight over the placenta
because the doctors apply it on their faces.
"Give me the placenta." I said, "You're not taking it, I am."
They wanted to carry me aloft when I left.
"Thank you so much, Officer. Congratulations."
They brought me coffee and a pastry.
The lady called me and said,
"Officer, I wanted to tell you that my husband and I
have decided to name the girl Teresa."
I said, "No, I hate my name. How could you do that to her?"
My name is María Teresa Hernández Cañas.
I've been in the force for 17 years,
and I'm 34 years old.
[upbeat music playing]
POLICE
FEDERAL FORCES
[music continues]
[light footsteps approaching]
[whistle blowing in distance]
[water splashing]
[alarm ringing]
[ringing continues]
[Teresa groans]
Natasha.
[alarm ringing]
[Teresa] When I started, I went down to Morelos,
which is right there in Tepito. First of all, I got sent as punishment.
One of the bosses sent me. She said I needed some lessons in humility
-because I thought too highly of myself. -[giggling]
I said, "You have low self-esteem."
So, she sent me to Morelos as punishment.
On the fourth day, we had stopped in Eje 1 and Circunvalación,
and guess what?
A motorcycle appeared, a red scooter,
and it stopped by the squad car,
right up to the side of the car.
And he said, "I'm going to tell you what you're going to do."
He said, "Today, I'll rob Tenochtitlán," I don't know which streets he told me.
"I warn you, I'll kick your ass if I see your patrol car stopping there."
"You've been warned, doll. Now you know."
[vigorous scrubbing]
[Teresa] And I felt so scared, so shaken up.
I thought, "What shall we do?"
Is he really warning us that he'll hit that?
I summoned the courage to go see the chief and say,
"Boss, I need to talk to you. This is what happened."
"He threatened me and now I'm scared."
"I just got here, and they already know me."
He even laughed. He goes, "Ha, ha, ha! You've been hazed."
I tell him, "Chief, you are going to make me pay if they steal."
He said, "No, kid. Here in Morelos,
in this precinct, we don't care."
I said, "Why not, Chief? It's a robbery."
He said, "Do you know how many times they rob the Chinese every week?"
"I'd be shocked if they get hit less than ten times."
"They screw them, beat them up and empty out their storage rooms."
"And then what, Chief?"
"They never report it. It's all contraband."
"See? You learn something new every day."
There are all types of folks in the police.
Just as there are lots of good cops with good intentions
who go out to fulfill their duties, by the book,
there are also lots of cops who might be crooked,
or who didn't have a trade in their civilian life
and saw the advantages of being a cop.
It affects me when I see these news reports criticizing us.
[coins clinking]
[Teresa] As a cop, sometimes it's infuriating.
"No, we got burned!" I say.
But the truth is, as a police officer,
you foster all of that.
-[person whistles] -[coins clinking]
Now what?
[man] I forgot my keys.
[thrilling music playing]
[Teresa] What if I'd left?
[man] I'd fucking kick the door in, like in the movies.
-Hurry. I haven't walked the dog. -[man] I'll walk her in a sec.
-I left some soup in the oven. -[man] I'll walk her now. Don't worry.
[keys clang]
[upbeat music playing]
[Teresa] I used to see them out on the street,
and, I mean, they seemed like total heroes to me.
Since my dad was a cop, I felt like nothing could happen to me.
I felt like wherever we went,
we would be well-protected and looked after simply because of that.
I would see my dad come home carrying his gun, the tight shirt,
he even had his shield, and instructed the boy.
"Do this move, son. Pretend you're shooting and I'll take pictures."
And he would.
I'd say, "Take some of me." He'd go, "You're jealous."
"You just want to do everything your brother does."
I said, "No, I want to be a police officer."
"No, you don't."
So, there was that discrimination that he could and I couldn't.
"You're going to get married, have kids, and that's it."
"No, Dad, I'll be a police officer."
[soft music playing]
[sizzling]
-Yesterday was the 19th, wasn't it? -[Teresa] Yeah.
Yeah…
Yeah, look, you didn't sign.
[Teresa] Yes, I had to rush back to the precinct.
-In a hurry. -Don't worry.
-Don't worry, darling. -[Teresa] My boss would have killed me.
BUSINESS CODE - DATE
[clerk] Can I get you a coffee, copper? Something to eat?
A muffin?
Instant ramen?
Enjoy.
[men laughing]
[Teresa] The truth is, after finishing high school,
I spent a year doing nothing. I thought, "I don't want to study."
"I don't want to do anything."
I said, "Mom, I've had it. I'm going to join the police force."
What's wrong, Officer?
[Teresa] "No, you're crazy. Your dad is going to go ballistic."
I said, "Whatever. If he wants me to work, I'll work."
"But I'll choose it."
What seems to be the problem, Officer?
[Teresa] I already told you, man…
He goes, "No way! The police force is for losers."
"That's not what I want for you."
[both grunting]
[Teresa] Spread your legs. Hands behind your head.
[man] Relax…
[Teresa] So, we started arguing.
And he took everything from me. My money, shampoo, everything.
He wanted to force me to see
what it would be like to have to work for my basic necessities.
-This is abuse. -Cooperate.
[man] This is an abuse of power.
-What abuse? -Who's going to lock my car?
-[Teresa] I'll request backup. -You can't request a thing.
[Teresa] When the four of us sat down to eat, we all sat facing each other.
I mean, I wanted to avoid my dad's look,
because we were at the table, and I always sat right across from him.
So, I moved the jug of water and stooped down, so he couldn't see me.
That was the time he hurt my feelings deeply,
because I never expected my dad to say,
"Did you earn your food already?"
That hit me really hard.
I got teary and didn't say a word. I stood up and went into my bedroom.
PÉREZ, DANIEL - FAILS TO REPORT
[woman] Caro, why haven't you put me through to management?
[Teresa] Do you have a working pen?
What do you think, hon? No.
-I love your earrings. -Thanks, doll.
-Give me a hand, would you? -With what?
-I took him down to the ward… -You're so fucking stubborn.
I already took him to the doctor. Here's the info.
No, I'm tired too, dude.
-I want to go home. -Look.
[woman sighs]
-Look at the info. -Fucking Tere!
[whispering] Come on…
No, dude.
-No, you take advantage… -It's only missing…
Just missing this information.
-You took him to Medical Services? -Yeah.
-What's wrong, Caro? -[child crying]
Oh. [sighs]
-Please. -Hold on. Give me a moment.
[Teresa] That hit me so hard and hurt so much, that I saw it as a challenge.
I said, "Okay, I'm going to succeed."
"Now I'll show you that I'm the opposite of what you think of me."
"And I will work, but I'll go into the police force."
[car engine stops]
[sighs]
[engine sputtering]
[sputtering continues]
[car engine rumbling]
[engine dies]
[sighing]
[cop on radio] …after 3-1.
[Teresa] When I reached my third month, I said, "Look, I'm three months in."
"I've proven to you that
I will stick with it, that it's my passion."
He said, "I'll believe it once you come to invite me to your graduation."
"Then I'll believe you."
And he did.
He attended my graduation. He brought my mom,
and enjoyed himself. There he was. Photos, hugs, and everything.
But later on, back at home,
he sits me down and says, "Well, I'll tell you what we'll do."
"Now what?" I said. "I finished. I came through."
He said, "You are strictly forbidden from telling anyone that I'm your dad."
I said, "Why? What's the problem?"
He says, "When you get to the precinct…"
I was 18, I was fairly slim, and, in my opinion, quite pretty, right?
Good body. He said, "No."
"When you get to the precinct, I'll get upset
if a higher-up starts harassing you."
He said, "Because the higher-ups,
the first thing they notice is who they like, who is cute."
"And if you play along and you also like it,
I won't stop you. You know what you're doing."
"The less people know you're my daughter, the better."
"Also, if someone disrespects you,
I won't get into an argument with my colleagues over that."
"Do you know what I'll do?"
"I won't stop until they send me to your precinct, where you are."
"Moreover,
I'm going to work with you. We'll go out on patrol together."
And when every single argument had failed to convince me,
he said, "What would happen if, one day, we go out on patrol together
and, as fate would have it, they shot me in front of you?"
"Do you really think you have the courage to stand there and watch
while they shoot or unleash a hail of bullets on me?
And you do nothing about it? How are you going to react
if I died right there at your feet?"
"You know the fucking trauma you'll endure for the rest of your life?"
So I apologized. Point taken.
["As De Corazones" plays over car radio]
[car engine stops]
I was about ten at the time, and my little brother was about six.
When you live with a cop for a dad,
you live with a high degree of anxiety and uncertainty.
You know he goes out, you know he's going to work.
But, as a child, when he leaves to go to work,
you don't fully grasp the danger as a kid, or the things that they're exposed to.
Okay…
Partner.
Go to sleep, dude.
Let's go catch someone.
Go to sleep, jerk. You slept all night?
I'm hungry.
Let's go get some grub.
-Okay, but you drive. -Okay.
He was so certain that he said,
"Well, we switched drivers," and he put the patrol car in reverse.
The other day, we were… It was Sunday, I think.
We were lazing around.
All of a sudden,
my uniform was there somewhere, and my son said,
"Dad, I want to be a police officer when I grow up."
You're fucked.
[chuckles] That's what I thought.
[cop 1] Look at these assholes.
[cop 2 laughs]
[cop 1] Let's get our grub money.
[cop 2] Datsun, you're going the wrong way.
[police siren wailing]
He said, "Well, we stopped a car that was going in the wrong direction."
"We stopped them, first of all, to run a check,
and then, to be honest, to see what they'd give us."
["As De Corazones" continues playing]
[police siren blaring]
[engine idling]
-[cop 1] Good evening, kids. -Good evening.
-[cop 1] Everything okay? -All good, Officer.
-[cop 1] You were going the wrong way. -[clicks tongue] Damn.
-Didn't you realize? -No.
Show me your papers, please.
-License and registration. -Of course.
Let's see.
[cop 1] Heck, no. What's that?
For my license and registration. [chuckles]
[cop 1] Come on, pal.
That barely covers for your license.
["As De Corazones" playing over radio]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[gunshot]
[gunfire]
[driver] Motherfucker!
Get in, dude!
[indistinct chatter over radio]
[mellow music playing]
[dog barking in distance]
[mellow music continues]
-He said, "I fell down when they shot me." -[police siren wailing]
"And I closed my eyes. I thought that if I opened them,
they would realize I was still alive and they would finish me off."
[cop] Hang in there. I'm going to ask for help. Hang on.
Help arrived, and, as usual,
one of the force's biggest issues, there are no medical units.
No one comes and they don't know what to do.
The first squad car arrived, and they said,
"I'm reporting that our colleague is losing blood."
"Since the ambulance isn't coming, I'll take him."
Dispatch, I'm bringing a Z-2 by X-13.
I repeat, a Z-2 by X-13. We're headed to Medellín Hospital.
[indistinct radio chatter]
Leave him alone.
[dispatch on radio] …I repeat…
Our protocol states that we can't remove our bulletproof vests.
Why? If you remove it and end up dying,
the life insurance won't cover it.
[cop] We're almost there.
Protocol says you also can't drive him,
because if he dies in the car, the one transporting him is responsible.
Under such circumstances, life gets more complicated,
both as a child and as a parent, because you live on edge
with the feeling of being unprotected.
At one point, after graduating from the Academy,
I got promoted and reached his rank,
and told him, "We're equals now." He said, "Don't be mistaken."
"I've got seniority, I have experience."
"I have all this, you don't."
When he saw I started helping and I protected him,
he had no choice but to admit to it.
But only in writing, because out loud and face-to-face,
actually, he never did tell me.
-[woman 1] What's up, dude? -[woman 2] How are you?
-Everything good? -Yeah. Come in. It's cool.
-Come on in. -Hi.
-Congratulations. -Thanks.
-What's your name, miss? -Julia, copper. Good evening.
-Good evening, copper. -It's very late.
Be considerate with your neighbors. Your neighbors have jobs.
[party music blasting]
I'm sure you're a student on a holiday break,
but these people work.
No, I'm not a student, copper. I work now.
And we all live here in the building…
-[Julia] Son of a bitch! -[people laughing]
[Julia chuckling] No way. These motherfuckers.
Come on, dude! Don't be an asshole! What's up?
-Come on, copper… -No, miss, that's out of line.
There's always a jerk. Even among your friends, am I right?
You know what they'll say if I return a damaged car?
Let's deal with it some other way. I swear on Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.
Just between us, okay?
-Fuck that little shit. -Enough, young lady.
[Julia] Okay.
We're good now.
-Let's go make love, copper. -Enough.
-Let's celebrate life. -Enough.
[Julia] Go make love, asshole.
Move it, please.
[party music blasting]
When he saw I started helping and I protected him,
he had no choice but to admit to it.
But only in writing, because out loud and face-to-face,
actually, he never did tell me.
Here it is.
It reads, "My child, my admiration grows by the day."
"You've shown the will to get ahead,
and self-determination to achieve your goals."
"I can say, unequivocally, that you possess
the perfect skill set required to carry on this job."
"This extremely dangerous but exciting line of work,
which consists of serving the citizenry."
"Even though the aforementioned might not value our sacrifice,
"I pray to God that He enlightens you
and fills you with the strength and courage to carry on."
"Sending you lots of kisses
and best of wishes…
so that you achieve all your goals."
"With admiration, love and respect, your dad."
It wasn't until then that he acknowledged it.
BEST OF WISHES SO THAT YOU ACHIEVE ALL YOUR GOALS.
WITH ADMIRATION, LOVE AND RESPECT, YOUR DAD
[bell ringing]
[indistinct chattering]
[cops cheering, teasing]
[cops chattering, shouting]
[upbeat music playing]
[indistinct chattering]
-[indistinct chatter] -[man laughing]
[man 1] Hey. What's up?
[man 2] Say hi first. You go straight for the money.
Fucking coins. You always try to screw me.
-One, two, three, four, five. -Sign it, you jerk.
-Sign for me. -I'm going to write "Fag."
[male officer] In here, you experience the full spectrum of emotions.
You cry.
You suffer.
They can show you gratitude one minute and call you son of a bitch the next.
I mean, the adrenaline you feel, it's not like those other jobs…
Maybe not on those, but here…
you feel the adrenaline from 6:00 a.m.,
until 3:00, 4:00, 10:00 p.m.
I've jumped off rooftops,
I've climbed up to turn off gas tanks, chased after crooks.
I've been knocked off of the motorcycle.
The adrenaline rush is so intense
that you lose all feeling, you can't even think.
My name is José de Jesús Rodríguez Hernández.
[clears throat]
Better known as Montoya.
[upbeat music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
[Montoya] I was raised in the La Lagunilla neighborhood.
In Paraguay street.
In the hood, as they call it, right?
Those were still the days you'd get punished with a wet belt.
Or smacked with the flip-flop.
But I'm grateful to my mom now
because even though it was a rough neighborhood,
and we had a really tough life, we all did,
due to my father's absence,
I wasn't another casualty.
And I didn't get stuck there.
Didn't do drugs.
Didn't deal.
You have to be vigilant as a cop.
I've never been one to fall asleep in the squad car,
or to be caught off guard because I've been jumped on occasion,
and I think I made it out alive for that same reason.
I've always been alert.
[children shouting]
[Montoya] Twice I was involved in a shootout
with some crooks in Ermita and Tlalpan.
We were driving by, and they were robbing an ATM.
And as we drive by, they start shooting at us.
[Montoya mimics gunfire]
I was in shock when I heard all that,
but I felt the pressure and saw my partner saying,
-"Shoot them!" -[coins clinking]
We ran out all the way to…
We got into it outside a 7-Eleven on Tlalpan and Ermita.
He escaped.
Next thing I know,
I ended up on the rooftop of a Burger King.
After it was over, I had such an adrenaline rush,
that I completely forgot where I left my shotgun, and I didn't have my vest on.
A colleague told me, "Damn, partner, you really threw it at that dude."
[chuckles]
That adrenaline rush was some serious shit.
Because you lose track of time.
Once you come down from the adrenaline rush,
you stop to say, "No way! Did I really do all this?"
-How much is it? -[vendor] Thirty.
You don't need sunblock. You're already dark-skinned.
-[laughs] Don't get sunburned. -Don't get sunburned. Right.
[Montoya] My brother was really,
well, practically, the reason I became a policeman.
Because he joined the force.
I remember when he came home,
he was wearing his cap.
Or maybe a jacket, and he would give it to me.
And I would get really excited as a kid. Like, "No way, dude."
And my brother always loved to look very sharp, you know?
He was a dandy, you know?
[merry music playing]
[people laughing]
[cheering]
[party music playing]
[people cheering]
[people laughing]
[Montoya] I really looked up to my brother.
I remember when he used to be on the beat in Tepito.
He'd come by to visit afterwards.
He would come in with his pals, carrying machine guns.
They were from the riot police unit.
And later on,
he would come by in the famous Suburban,
and they would show up with ten other officers.
And they would go to the house to eat with my mom.
They would be wearing uniforms and would put down the machine guns
against the wall.
And they would show them to me, right?
They would teach me how to hold them and all that.
When we graduated from the Academy,
they assigned us to the downtown precinct.
Practically where I reside.
Where I grew up, where I was raised,
where I spent all my childhood.
I requested a transfer, because it was a little tough.
Not so much because I knew the neighbors,
but because there's a lot of wrongdoing, a lot of crime.
I was also scared that they might do something to me, right?
Or that I if pulled over a criminal,
a robber or something,
the family might retaliate.
-You can't be here. Go over to that side. -[man 1] What do you mean?
-Why can't I be here? -[Montoya] You can't be here.
-[man 2] Officer! -Keep an eye on your friend.
You're going to get it, asshole.
Watch out, my friend. What's up?
Have a drink, Officer.
What's up?
Get back to the other side.
[man 1] We pay your fucking salary.
[man 2] Enough, asshole!
Those three fucking eggs you eat every week are on me.
-[woman] Enough! -Don't listen to him!
[indistinct chatter]
There's no bathroom?
[man 2] What's the big deal? It's just a tree, it's all good.
[Montoya] You can't piss here.
[man cheering, laughing]
[Montoya] Get back on the other side.
-Get back. -[woman] Come on, let's go.
Get back to the other side.
Enough. Get going.
Take him with you.
Aren't you gonna do something?
I can't.
You can't?
He has rights.
If we were in the United States, by now…
I live in Miami.
He'd be hitting the ground
in no time.
That's right. We live in Mexico.
I was riding my motorcycle… I love my bike.
I was already a cop. This was a couple of years back.
I turned around and said, "Hey, are you Raúl?"
"Yes."
"How are you? Remember me from elementary school?"
"We used to fly kites together on top of rooftops and whatnot."
"So, how have you been?" "Okay."
"What do you do for a living?"
I tell him, "I am a cop."
"I joined the force." And he tells me,
"Oh, you are a pig now."
I said, "What about you?"
"Well, I did a job and it went wrong,
and they sent me to jail. I served two years."
Keep in mind that this kid,
sometimes he defended me, and sometimes I defended him.
And we used to play together around the neighborhood.
Watching the cops chasing after his friends, the crooks.
Would you believe it?
It's funny, we used to see that as kids and now we're living through it.
He chose a life of crime and I chose the life of a policeman.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Montoya whistling]
[whistling continues]
[Teresa] Now what?
I forgot my keys!
[clinks]
-Teresa! -[Teresa screams]
Easy! Come here!
[Montoya] Partner is a word that we ourselves introduced, okay?
The friendship you forge with that person,
the trust you put in them.
More than being just a co-worker,
you start to also regard them on a human level.
It comes to a point where
you feel such a bond with your co-worker
that, because of it, you start feeling like a couple.
III. TERESA AND MONTOYA
How did it start?
-[Montoya clears throat] -I'll tell you how it started.
Let me tell you
the funny thing about time… He had been in the precinct for a while,
and I had been there for three years.
-Even though we worked in the same place… -I never saw you.
…I never saw him.
When I saw him at first, I couldn't stand him.
Honestly, he seemed like a preppy clown.
Always self-absorbed, and he thought he was irresistible. Like a stud.
-So in my mind, he-- -According to her, right?
-It's the truth. I saw him like a clown. -Sorry, I was good-looking.
One time, we got paired up.
We rode together in the truck.
By the way, that truck was packed
with girls who had no clue about police work.
-Didn't mention it to Alonso, but… -[both laugh]
Yeah, he was in a truck full of girls.
No, we were going to the anti-riot.
Okay. So, I got in and started organizing. Nothing new.
-The gentleman looking dapper-- -She sets everyone straight.
They all pampered him. One caressed his hair, and I was like…
-I never said that. -…"What's wrong with you?"
No, but I did.
And they went on, right? I just looked on, thinking he was a higher-up.
He was the one in charge, and I sat right behind him,
like his second in command. Because those kids were rookies.
And as I'm watching him,
-I think, "This one's not working." -[man] Thank you.
He spent the whole day on the phone
with one or two girlfriends, doing his thing.
And these girls didn't want to lift a finger.
Honest to God, they felt that they owned the boss.
They offered food to him, the whole nine yards. I said, "Okay."
By the way, I was 15 kilos lighter.
They sent us on a raid to Cuautepec.
And off we went.
I remember that day you climbed in the back of the truck.
[clears throat]
You climbed in the back, and I saw you through the rear-view mirror.
And you were eyeing me like,
"Damn!"
-Not true. -[both laugh]
It's not true.
After that, I did tell my commander, "You know what?"
"I'll pay you to send me there with him."
"With that officer." "Yes, sure."
[Montoya] Personally, back when I was living with my first partner,
I would leave my family all the time.
So, at one point, they left the house.
I started to live alone.
And it was
like coming back to a living hell, right?
Because you see the kid's room.
There's… the life you had before.
And it reminds you of it.
You see?
It reminds you.
At times, I even thought of taking my own life.
[soft music playing over radio]
[kids chatter indistinctly]
[bottle cap clanking]
[Montoya] I didn't want to see a therapist,
because they would have thought I was not well.
[Teresa] After we got off work,
he used to go out on the street and down two- or three-liter-sized beers.
He owned a Suzuki 1000 motorcycle.
He would set his bottle here, wiped his tears like this…
Once he'd wiped himself,
he would speed away like a bat out of hell.
He would take off speeding on that bike.
Our colleagues would say, "This asshole is going to kill himself."
"This asshole will kill himself."
[Montoya breathes heavily]
-I have some pictures of him all alone… -[Montoya barking]
[Teresa] …drunk, with teary eyes,
and the dog by his side, almost human-like.
[dog barking]
-I would ask him, "Why do you do it?" -[Montoya panting]
[Teresa] "'Because I'm a dog."
I said, "Who told you you're a dog?"
At that point, I didn't suspect that Montoya was also having issues,
stemming from a breakup.
I was still together with Brandon's dad.
He never looked for a stable job to provide for me.
He never did. So, up until my son turned 12, he just turned 13,
I provided for him, took care of him, paid his tuition, everything.
At one point, I finally said, "I am done with you."
"It's over, okay?"
Our personal lives seemed so similar, as we discussed them in conversations,
that at one point he turns to me and says,
"Do you realize we're doing the exact same bullshit?"
He said, "Your life and mine are the same."
"Everything you're telling me, I've already experienced it."
"Except I did as the head of the household and you as the mom."
He said, "You are the one working for your family."
"And I'm the one giving it all for my family."
Really, two cops who were supposed to impart law and order,
actually having a breakdown, sobbing, due to family trouble.
She says she fell in love. [chuckles]
Right? It started with a little gift here,
a chocolate there.
Gifts, like this one, which I still keep.
A letter that reads, "Hello, my love. Good morning."
[laughs]
She doesn't know that
I have kept
this gift and others as well.
[toilet flushing]
But we did pay up to get assigned to the same patrol car.
-Yes, it was the 810. -P-810-S1.
And we started to support each other.
We comforted each other. I would say, "Don't give up, be strong."
I gave him a lesson in humility and insisted that he start reading.
[police siren wails]
One day I decided to stop by a store to sign the log.
We were driving, and I saw a man carrying some roses.
I tell the man, "Sell me a rose. The prettiest one you have."
And I tell Teresa, "Get out. Go sign up at OXXO."
By the time she comes back,
I had already placed the rose between her seat and the weapon.
[laughs]
[soft music playing on radio]
And I tell her, "Thanks for everything, honey."
Right?
"Because you've listened to me and have helped me greatly, okay?"
"You…" [sniffles]
"You brought me back to life."
[both giggling]
[Teresa] I gave him The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
-[both laughing] -[Montoya grunts]
[Teresa] And I think he started changing his strategy.
He started to drink less, stopped messing around.
I said, "Now you will decide for yourself. No one will do that for you."
"Spoil yourself. If you're craving something, eat it."
I started drilling him about the law.
Now he gets it and will even give you advice.
-I think he learned a lot from me. -[screams]
I started being affectionate. Sometimes I reprimand him.
Sometimes I'm a little strict, but he changed because of me.
I don't know exactly when he fell in love with me,
but I'm almost certain that he loves me now.
[Teresa screaming] Son of a fucking bitch!
[Teresa moaning, panting]
[Teresa whispering] Oh, I love you. Do you love me?
[bed creaking]
Do you love me?
-Tell me you love me. -Give me a sec…
[Montoya] From then on, it was great sharing the patrol car.
We would go pick up some cheese, some peanuts.
-Go pick up some food. -[Teresa] Dinner.
-We started our life together. -Down in La Viga.
-The timing was right. -We would chase after cars.
Remember when you ran out of the car because they were robbing an OXXO?
The OXXO.
I stepped on the gas going the wrong way,
and she jumped out and ran.
-She wanted to get into the OXXO. -To the OXXO.
[car door slams]
[Teresa] What?
[Montoya] Always the same. I said no fucking onions.
-[Teresa] You wolf it down regardless. -It's very hot!
Tell your girls to come comfort you.
[Montoya] What girls?
You're very aggressive.
I only have eyes for you.
Right. What about all the cadets?
[Montoya] There's this new one. She's a fox.
-She's new. -Enough, okay?
-Fucking moron. -[Montoya] Calm down.
[indistinct chatter]
[distressed man] Help!
[suspenseful music playing]
[Teresa] Hang on, dude!
-[Montoya] What's wrong? -Wait.
I'll tell you in a sec. Wait…
[shouting]
Stop, asshole!
[suspenseful music playing]
[tires screeching]
[Montoya] Wait for backup!
We have an F4 20 meters from Refinería.
[Montoya] She jumped out the car and ran carrying her weapon, full of rage.
[Teresa] Already holding it, ready to shoot.
[Montoya] I yelled at her, "Hey, what's the matter with you?"
-[Teresa] "Don't be an idiot," he said. -[Montoya] "Get back."
"You're gonna get yourself killed."
[suspenseful music playing]
[suspenseful music continues]
[whistle blowing]
EXIT
[tense music playing]
[Teresa panting] All right…
[grunts]
[tense music playing]
[Teresa mumbling]
[Teresa] Freeze, asshole!
[tense music playing]
Freeze!
Stop right there! Freeze, asshole!
Face down! Hands behind your back!
The higher-ups realized… The commanders, the instructor,
that we started a relationship.
They would say, "Send me those two lovebirds."
"That siren doesn't flash red and blue lights."
-"Instead, it flashes little hearts." -[mumbles]
They all stopped calling us "Teresa and Montoya."
They'd refer to us as "the love patrol."
"Where's the love patrol? Get over here."
-Even C-2, the camera people. -"Come this way."
[Teresa] Everyone was in on the joke, and the Love Patrol was born.
[equipment beeping]
[crew chattering]
[Teresa] At that moment, I turned around
and spotted a police truck, and I saw it was his mom.
[man 1] What happened?
[man 2] What happened?
[man 1] They had to move the generator.
Hold on.
[man 1] Okay. We have to stop here for a bit.
We have snacks in the hallway for you.
We're going to clear the set. They need to check on something.
-[Teresa] Can I go down to the bathroom? -[man 1] Yes, go ahead.
[man 2] Okay, now…
[man 1] If you want, take Martina out while we check this.
[man 3] How long will it take?
[man 1] About ten or fifteen. But we have snacks.
If you'd like.
Okay.
[man 3] All right. Cut here.
IV. AN ACTOR PREPARES
[man 4] Let's take a look…
[crew member speaks indistinctly]
In March 2019, the actors Mónica del Cármen
and Raúl Briones started an immersion process
in the life of Mexican police officers.
For 101 days, they got embedded in different academies,
shadowed police officers in their daily patrols,
and rehearsed to play Officers Teresa and Montoya for this film.
[woman] Raúl!
How are you?
Good.
Due to academy restrictions,
they recorded their experiences on cell phones.
[Mónica] I'm just so grateful that it has begun,
that this adventure has begun,
that this project has begun and also this character.
That this creation has begun.
[blows]
[Mónica] We're on our way to the Police Academy.
This truck is very bumpy.
And it's really noisy.
I feel like no one in their right mind…
wants to become a cop in this city.
What for?
There's a ton of traffic, people in formation.
I don't know what else to say,
just that my heart is racing like a motherfucker.
Today was our first day of enrollment
at the police university in Mexico City.
It wasn't surprising, but I must admit that I was deeply moved
to witness that most of the people who attend the Academy
are Indigenous people with features very much like my own.
We had lots of classes,
classes that I would have never imagined existed.
We had criminal justice for teenagers.
We had CPR.
We had a first responder workshop.
Police self-defense and physical fitness.
The instructions were, "Chase the thief, pick up the corpse."
"How to pull someone over."
"What to do. Take him to the Interior Ministry."
Yes, the police officers. I've always been very scared of police officers.
They don't seem to protect anyone.
I see a patrol car and I'm not thinking,
"They will protect me." I think, "Those fuckers want to screw me."
I'm not sure. They are a strange liaison,
the police officers, between power and society.
And it was also hard. I didn't know what to expect from today's procedures,
so I didn't cut my fucking hair.
So, I show up with long hair and full beard.
With no uniform, unlike the others,
so right from the get-go, it's, "Who's that jerk?"
We took quite a beating today
with the PR-24.
High blocks, blocks to the strong and weak sides.
Medium block, low block.
Raúl and I talked a bit about what "baton" means for us,
to all the civilians and the people who protest,
to those of us who, oftentimes, have been repressed.
We go into a place called El Pueblito.
It's a spot inside the Academy,
which is a simulated village with houses and roads.
I believe that the process of the student
is very similar to the actors
because although we work with different subjects,
we're simulating situations all day.
We're simulating conflict.
I just woke up after getting back from the Academy today.
Also, my elbow got badly hurt.
It doesn't make me feel proud one bit.
I was chatting with the deputy director, and he was telling me
that, obviously, many of the kids studying at the Academy
are here mainly for the money.
They let themselves be carried by inertia.
"I'm here because they pay me."
"I'm very sleepy because they woke me at 5:00 a.m."
"I know this must be valuable information,
but I feel too lazy to study."
The Academy program only lasts six months.
And I ask myself, how would they learn in six months
everything they need to know to become a good police officer?
To act in the proper fashion.
To not fail to follow due process.
And, on the other hand,
to have a clear concept and a firm grip on the law.
And…
Would you convince someone in six months
who wasn't even ready to make that decision,
but their circumstances led them to it,
that they'll become great police officers? That they'll get a gun,
which they could use to end someone else's life?
And if they're not quick enough, their own life could be over?
I see that my young female and male colleagues,
they have… lots of information
and very few chances to absorb it,
to interpret it, to process it.
Many of them are fresh out of secondary high school,
some have only completed high school.
There was this guy who was playing around.
I'm not sure what they were arguing about.
I heard them in the hallway on my way to the dining room.
This guy was saying,
"I have more money than all of you, fuckers."
"Come see my statement. I don't go around, fucking whining
because I didn't get a check or it hasn't cleared."
"Come, check my balance,
I have more than you'll fucking earn in a year."
So someone else yells, "So, what are you doing here, asshole?"
And everyone broke into laughter.
[in mocking tone] "Yeah, what are you doing here?"
Later we went on to swim class,
which I think affected me more…
It really affected me
deep down, because…
Armando, our instructor,
ordered us to jump off the platforms,
which were three and seven meters tall,
into the water, the pool.
I'm a police officer, someone's chasing me.
I have to make the decision and jump into the water.
It doesn't matter how I'm going to fall.
I don't give a damn if it's cold.
My legs are shaking.
I don't want the others to notice I'm scared shitless and…
I see them. They're pretending to be tough with their expressions.
I'm about to dive when they come to the edge, and that kid returns.
He's extremely scared and walks back. You joke with your partner next to you.
Like, "Oh, yeah, how scary."
How scary, how fucking scary.
It's not the same up there.
Not the same. You have to look forward.
And you don't see the distance to the water.
You can't gauge the impact.
So, it's a feeling of abandonment and vertigo,
of, "Here I come."
At that moment, it feels like an eternity, like you'll never reach the water.
The feeling of being a police officer is just that.
Let's go with a crew cut.
-A crew cut? -Yes, please.
Of course.
You've joined the force or something?
That's right.
I'm going blue.
[razor buzzing]
[Raúl] Do I look like a policeman?
[barber] Kind of. The haircut helps.
But to be a policeman…
[Raúl] What do you need to become one?
[barber] Besides being decisive, you need
two of the big ones.
Nowadays, the criminals are out of control.
[Raúl] Do you trust the police?
[barber] Really, really trust them? No.
Not even the authorities.
Because now with the new laws,
a crook gets out of jail faster than a regular civilian.
[Raúl] Do you think it's because of the laws?
[barber] Sure. The laws emanated by our distinguished representatives.
They just go down and sit
to take a selfie so they can prove they attended.
Did the police ever give you a hard time?
[barber] No, thankfully they haven't.
Not recently. Many years ago they did.
What for?
For being a musician and a bohemian.
Raúl Briones Carmona.
David Brandon Ramírez Vega.
Robinson Amadeus Domínguez Rosas.
Mónica.
Gustavo Caballero Lara.
Daniel Figueroa Rocha.
Ruiz Valencia Carina.
Vega Luna Eric Iván. Police trainee.
At your service. [chuckles]
I'm 32.
Twenty-two years old.
Twenty-three.
I'm 21 years old.
At first, it was out of necessity.
And secondly, I remember… Well, my dad was also a policeman.
I loved his experiences, the talks he would share with me.
That's how I got the idea that I wanted to become a policeman.
As fate would have it, I became a mom at a young age,
so, I couldn't… I didn't get a chance to do it until now.
Like in all walks of life,
some people come here to waste their time,
and some others really enjoy being a police officer.
I think our society is not well.
We live in a country where countless femicides occur.
It's not the salary.
It's the feeling of being able to help someone else.
You might not even know him. That's what an officer does.
He risks his life for a stranger.
I am scared of leaving my family, if something were to happen to me.
But I think that by coming here,
you're already telling yourself that you're ready for anything.
The higher-ups told us that fear is also a good thing.
So, therefore,
I'm thinking we're all scared of the streets here,
but we're still doing it.
TACTICAL LANE HONOR - LOYALTY
[siren blaring]
COURAGE - HONOR - SACRIFICE
[Raúl] Now we're at…
the Police Academy in Ciudad Neza.
Well, there are different dynamics in play.
I think the classes are more personalized.
[Armando] One step forward.
Now!
[Raúl] Because, in this instance, it's just one group here.
Now!
[Raúl] So, that strengthens our bond as a group.
[Armando] Turn around, now!
Right flank, now!
[Mónica] Last night before bedtime, I thought that this was a place
where there are a lot of vulnerable people
pretending to be the strongest in order to protect us.
Stop! Municipal Police!
-[cadet 1] Stop! -[cadet 2] Stop! Municipal Police!
Stop! Municipal Police! Stop what you're doing!
[cadet 3] Municipal Police! Stop what you're doing!
[cadets shouting indistinctly]
[Armando] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
One, two, three, up!
[Raúl] They must believe that they are police officers.
They must believe that they fit those uniforms,
which already carries some pressure.
[grunts, groans]
[instructor] What's after this move?
[Raúl] They have to talk with authority.
-[cadets] ♪ Ha, ha, ha! ♪ -[instructor] ♪ How it makes me laugh ♪
[cadets] ♪ How it makes me laugh ♪
[Raúl] Going out for a run was intense.
[cadets] ♪ Another little lap… ♪
[Raúl] In a big platoon. There were 24 of us.
I was even thinking about the criminals, and I went,
"Fuck, they must be making fun of us,
running here, yelling nonsense."
"Most of them are fucking fat."
Well, that type of reckoning
allowed me to feel proud of this new group.
[cadets continue singing]
[Raúl] Because their spirits were soaring.
And I was very pleased.
[Armando] Line up.
Focus on a target.
Change targets, now!
Slowly.
Just a bit.
-Centered. -[cadets] Centered!
[Armando] Everybody…
[Mónica] Woody used to say, "Then they go out and get killed."
"Those morons. They don't even draw their guns."
"They kill them while they look at their cell phones."
"They kill them because they're not alert."
"Because they're dumb, they are morons."
"Out there, they die without honor, without resisting."
"They die with their gun unsheathed."
"They die because they're not alert, because they're morons."
[Armando] Don't stick it to the top wire, okay?
[Mónica] But…
[Armando] Don't stick it to the wire on top.
[Mónica] But it is what it is.
[Armando] No, we have… Look, this fucking board is electronic.
[cadet laughing]
[Armando] Remember the shooting fundamentals.
Remember to breathe!
Harder.
Okay.
Stay here.
I'm just going to correct your hand stance. There!
Go on.
Good, right there. Start pulling.
Press it, hard.
There. Come on, keep going!
Keep going!
Come on! You can do it!
[gun clicks]
You can do it!
Inhale, exhale.
-[instructor] Breathe. -[Armando] Inhale, exhale.
Focus.
Inhale and exhale.
-Again! -[gunshot]
[Armando] Inhale, exhale.
Again, Carina.
-Get it up and aim! -Give me another one.
Shoot!
There you go!
Again!
-Again! -[gun clicks]
[Armando] Low guard!
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale!
-Exhale! Up! Aim! -[instructor] There you go…
Shoot!
[gun clicks]
-Pull hard! -[instructor] Hard, Araceli!
You can do it!
Why the fuck did I agree to do this fucking movie?
Why do I need to learn
what goes on with a police officer?
I don't want to be a cop.
I'm not going to pretend everything is fun and games.
Maybe this damn log won't even make it to the fucking movie.
Where is this crap about what it means to be a cop?
How do you feel when they insult you?
How do you feel when faced with a guy behind bars?
How do you feel when someone gets away?
How do you feel when you've had large sums of money in front of you?
What's up with all the violence?
At what point did it get so out of control that…
the academies became so desperate
they started recruiting cadets in record numbers?
Because they're desperate for police.
Because they get killed.
But I won't become an officer.
I won't be a real policeman.
They are not going to shoot me.
At most, they'll say, "Action! Cut!"
That's it. I'll sit down to chill and have some coffee.
[man] Go on. Don't you worry.
[Alonso] Action!
Good morning.
[staff] Right here!
Thanks.
It's here.
[Armando] We're not Superman here, so it's very important to be careful.
There's always someone waiting for us back home.
I'll make the sign of the cross. [laughing]
[dispatch officer on radio] Ten-four at…
May everything turn out okay.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[dispatch officer] …silver car, 2011 model.
With the 81…
-[siren wailing] -[dispatch] …second, fifth-second-fourth.
[Mónica's partner 1] They all turn to watch.
[Mónica] They think it's weird.
They must think, "They fitted them with huge cameras
so they don't misbehave."
So they stop stealing.
"So they stop stealing?" We don't steal.
[Raúl chuckles]
That's different.
[Raúl's partner 1] I'll guide you, command. We're at 110.
[dispatch officer on radio] Command five…
[Raúl's partner 1] What do you think? Do you like the police?
I don't know. Honestly, it seems like a strange world.
Yes, it is a strange world.
-To be honest, I was really scared of you. -Mm-hmm.
I'm still scared of some.
It's been really tough for people to trust in the police again.
-[siren blares] -[radio chatter]
It's a fucked-up situation.
As a kid, I used to wash patrol cars in the Cuajimalpa precinct.
-Oh, okay. -[radio chatter]
I met a lot of cops there.
You got curious.
To be honest,
they were always nice to me.
-They were polite. -Mm-hmm.
-[Raúl's partner 2] That's cool. -They gave me breakfast.
They tipped me well.
[Raúl's partner 2] Mm-hmm.
[Raúl] And from then on, I saw them…
as an entity who treated me well.
[Raúl's partner 2] Okay.
Later on, my impression started to change towards the police.
-Why did it change? -[indistinct radio chatter]
I started seeing cops not doing their jobs right,
or letting criminals walk.
-[Raúl's partner 2] Okay. -I saw a cop and didn't feel…
-Trust. -Exactly.
-[chuckles] -I felt scared.
-We're not all the same. -Every time…
No, you're not.
I mean, there are good and bad cops.
Just like civilians. There are good ones and bad ones. I mean…
-[indistinct radio chatter] -It's a whole package.
[engine revving]
[Raúl's partner 2] No one cares if a cop dies.
But, hey, don't you dare kill a criminal, because all hell breaks loose.
The whole block goes after you before you can catch him,
when you try to detain him.
He could be the worst kind of criminal,
but the neighbors, since they're friends,
they all come out and try to snatch him, try to beat you.
Or even kill you. And who will complain? No one.
Not the media,
not human rights defenders, no one.
No one cares if a police officer dies.
[Mónica's partner 2] Now that you're in, aren't you scared
that you might end up in a shootout?
You know why? Because you sound like you have a good upbringing.
Like you wouldn't dare break a dish. I don't know.
[laughing]
Really.
You don't seem to have the personality required to be a good cop.
No?
I do feel like,
especially during inspections,
I feel a little anxious,
that I might do it wrong, or that I would screw up--
[Mónica's partner 2] What is it?
You think people would disrespect you, or what?
[Mónica] Are you going to tell me people don't disrespect you constantly?
-[Mónica's partner 2] Yeah. -[Mónica] Yes, right?
[Mónica's partner 2] Here, they spit at you, they hit you.
They insult you all the time.
-[dispatch on radio] Officers to dispatch. -[siren wailing]
Dispatch…
-[Mónica's partner 1] How old are you? -[kid] Thirteen.
[Mónica's partner 1] Thirteen?
Where's your mom?
Are you her sister?
Where's your dad?
[female cop] The dad is the one who broke the girl's ribs.
[Mónica's partner 1] Why? Why did he hit you?
The girl is alleging that her mom sold her to some men.
-[Mónica's partner 1] Is that right, dear? -[female cop] She's also alleging rape.
Among other things.
They want backup. Do you know why they requested it?
So I can take them to a safe house.
They don't want to stay here.
Everything you've said to me, sweetie,
you have to tell them so they can help you.
Okay?
-Will you drive them? -[Mónica's partner 1] Yes.
-Yeah? -Yes, I'll take them.
[female cop] Thanks.
Yes, girl.
[Mónica] You can tell yourself it's great to be able to help people,
but in this situation, to be honest,
how do you feel deep down in your heart?
Well, people that are acting aggressively,
that are loud, screaming, insulting you and whatnot,
and they see you crying,
they'll think you're weak.
And they'll take advantage.
But you have to be strong.
[Mónica] I think so, right?
If I see a little child right now
injured or dead,
it affects me.
-Yes. -It's a bad feeling.
Why? Because you think of your own family.
[siren wailing]
My name is José de Jesús Rodríguez Hernández.
[clears throat]
Better known as Montoya, in public life. [laughing]
Down in Ermita and Tlalpan… [sighs]
Down in Ermita and Tlalpan,
twice we were involved in a shootout with some crooks.
[inhales]
We were driving by, and they were robbing an ATM.
Come.
[Alonso on laptop] So tell me…
[Teresa] Who am I?
"Who am I?"
[mimics Teresa] "I am María Teresa Hernández Cañas."
"Currently, I'm a police officer."
"I've been serving in the police force for 17 years."
[Mónica] "I said, 'Mom, I've had it. I'm going to join…"
[repeats] "I said, 'Mom…'"
[Teresa] "No, you're crazy, you have done nothing for a whole year."
[Mónica] "I said, 'Mom, I've had it.'"
"You've done nothing for a year."
"I said, 'Mom, I've had it. I'm going to join the police.'"
"No, you're crazy. Your dad is going to go ballistic."
"Whatever. If he wants me to work, I'll work.
"But I'll choose it."
[Teresa] I didn't have kids, unlike most of my colleagues, who were single mothers.
Back then, I was one of the youngest. They called me "little baby."
I can assure you that out of 100% of the female officers in Mexico City,
90% were single mothers.
Almost all of them.
[Montoya] Police officers are like actors.
We can act like we have a strong demeanor,
or a weak one.
We act within reason.
We don't create a fantasy.
The moment you put on that uniform, you take on a huge responsibility.
And you have to commit to that role 100%. I was just talking about it.
You lose track of everything.
[Montoya] We have 1,000 faces, right?
-[both reading lines] -"So, I was looking at him…"
"No, that's how it was."
-"I saw him like a clown." -"I was good-looking before."
"One time, we got paired up,
we rode together in the truck."
"By the way, that truck was packed with girls who were clueless."
"Didn't mention it to Alonso, but…" [laughs]
[Teresa] They would say, "Send me those two lovebirds."
"That siren doesn't flash red and blue lights."
"Instead, it flashes little hearts."
They all stopped calling us Teresa and Montoya.
They'd refer to us as "the love patrol."
[both grunting]
[Mónica guffawing]
-What? -Hang on.
-What, did I hurt you? -No.
V. THE END OF THE LOVE PATROL
[man] Enjoy.
[man laughing]
[mellow music playing on radio]
[Montoya] Are you still hungry, honey?
[Teresa] They didn't have anything colder. Let's see.
[Montoya] Oh, motherfucker.
I told that dude that if he tried to pull that shit again,
I would kick his ass.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[cop on radio] …silver truck, with markings…
[knobs clacking]
Stay right here.
[indistinct radio chatter]
Do you need an army to move a few motorcycles?
[cop on radio] …tinted windows…
It's good.
I'll kick your ass if you eat those popsicles, okay?
[man on TV] Look at the great punches thrown by the champion.
She's got her shaken.
She goes for the face, and then,
she attempted to grapple. She's got her shaken.
[people cheering]
[shutter clicking]
Good evening, Officer.
Good evening, sir.
My name is María Teresa Hernández,
I'm a sub-officer here in your Coapa quadrant.
-How can we help you? -What's going on, sir?
What do you mean?
You're obstructing a public street.
Look, I'll tell them to move. No problem.
Sir, I'm going to call Department of Transportation for backup
to remove and fine the motorcycles.
-You have ignored our pleas. -What's up?
-Nothing. -Good evening, sir.
-What's up? -How do you do?
Good, thanks.
Chief Rueda knows that we're a club that gets together,
which never causes any trouble.
What are you writing?
I'm going to write the license plates to…
-Why? -[Teresa] Because…
It's not the first time you've been asked to move them.
I've never heard anyone complain.
Well, we patrol this precinct,
and in the past, you've been requested--
-We haven't had a complaint! -It's not the first time.
-[overlapping] -We've never heard… Let me talk!
We've never had a complaint until today, what a coincidence.
I think you just want to take our money.
-It's not the first time we've asked you. -Did she ask you for money?
No, I was just telling her--
No, tell me if she asked for money.
-No, I was telling her-- -No.
Show some balls, dude. Did she ask for money?
Yes, she did ask for money.
Oh, there you go.
What kind of fools do you take us for? I don't think so.
-Do you know who I am? -No, sir.
I'm a congressman, okay?
You don't care I'm a congressman, fucking wage earner?
-We'll see if you don't care. -It's not necessary--
Don't you dare threaten me or raise your voice!
I'm talking to you, don't turn your back on me.
Fucking Indian!
-You have no idea how fucked you are. -Officer.
Why do you make it worse?
[mellow music playing on radio]
[cop 1 on radio] …one medic at Chaparrita and Corrido del Norte…
[police siren wailing]
…I have a fallen female…
[cop 2] C-4 to dispatch.
[indistinct chatter on TV]
Thanks for coming, okay?
-Sorry for the inconvenience. -No worries.
He's a legislator. Mr. Bigshot.
[not audible dialogue]
[Teresa] At that point, I turned around and spotted a police truck,
and I saw it was a higher-up.
But he goes to talk to the boss.
And he says, "You haven't educated this girl?"
"She doesn't know how to address people?"
And I told him, "Good afternoon, Chief."
"Don't talk to me like that."
"I know you're extorting the gentleman and this establishment."
"In fact, you were caught on camera taking the money."
And I tell him, "Well, if they recorded me,
you wouldn't be arguing with me. Do your due process."
"Have me charged for extortion, and whatever happens, happens."
Our shift was over, and we went to…
We got in the patrol car, headed to the precinct,
and at the entrance, our colleagues say,
"What did you do, fuckers?" And we were stunned.
"Just wait." Everyone knew about the story, the scene, everything.
[Alonso] Who are you?
-[Teresa] Who am I? -[Alonso] Yes, who are you?
I'm María Teresa Hernández Cañas.
I'm currently a police officer.
I've been in the police force for 17 years.
And… what else can I tell you?
-[Alonso] How old are you? -Thirty-four.
I'm 34 years old.
[Alonso] So, tell me, what was--
What were the implications of the motorcycle incident?
Well, it brought on us all the burdens we're still suffering to this day.
On top of that, they took away our squad car.
We thought that was unfair.
We were doing our jobs,
and that's how they pay us, right?
But aside from the payback, I was saying,
in my view, I felt cheated, right?
[Alonso] What's your name? You haven't told me your name.
[Montoya] I'm José de Jesús Rodríguez Hernández.
[clears throat]
Better known as Montoya, in public life. [laughing]
[Alonso] Is that where "the love patrol" ended?
Practically, that's where "the love patrol" ended.
But far from being a love patrol, we carried out our work, right?
But they did start to put
a lot of pressure on us.
Vendettas.
They sent Montoya to stand guard
at Periférico and San Antonio for over a month.
Over the bridge. Nothing happened there.
Teresa, they even tried to suspend her.
They threatened and harassed her at the ministry,
and tried to force her to resign.
And it became a living hell, Alonso.
They sent me four neighborhoods farther away,
and they left me standing guard on a street
that didn't even have a crime index.
There was no restroom, nothing to eat.
We went back to talk to the commander, and said,
'What is this all about? You took our patrol,
you're punishing us by having us stand guard."
"How much longer?"
He said, "It's not my call. The higher-ups ordered it."
"Until you break."
[Montoya] That's what the chief said.
"I'll switch you, but I'll have her there until she breaks."
I said, "Break her, and I'll come after you."
"If the authorities don't listen, I will have to look for other solutions."
[Teresa] I feel that the police officer is vulnerable in every sense.
Nothing is guaranteed for us.
No protection by the command and no protection by the citizenship.
[Montoya] Sometimes, as I said before,
I'm ashamed of saying I'm a police officer.
Out of fear of how people treat you.
For that reason, I tell my wife and lots of colleagues that
I'm sick of the police force.
[Alonso] You are just victims?
There you go. [clears throat] Good question.
We are self-serving.
We are fools.
They criticize the police for being corrupt.
They criticize,
saying that, oftentimes, the police officer…
is someone who abuses their power.
But they don't stop to think why we do it.
And some colleagues say,
"You know what? I won't do it, because I will get in trouble."
"Why? Because I don't want to have any trouble."
"I don't like to be given money."
"I don't like to extort."
But many of them do it. They extort, or we extort,
or we ask for money… on occasion.
Because at the end of the day, the corruption doesn't stop.
Who benefits? I think everyone does.
Starting with the civilian, all the way to the officer and higher-ups.
Why? Because if the civilian fails to stop at a stop sign,
or any other situation where they would get an infraction,
or they're getting detained,
sometimes, in order to avoid going to civil court,
that's where it starts.
There's no need for an officer to ask,
since the civilian knows they committed an infraction,
they offer it themselves.
If you're already aware of your needs since the start of your shift,
you say to yourself, "This is my chance."
It goes hand in hand, because what the civilian gives me,
I pass it on to my precinct chief, makes its way to the commander and so on.
All the needs of the service are met.
[clears throat]
[somber music playing]
POLICE - CADET
[Teresa] I need at least 400 pesos (20 USD) per day
in my pocket to go to work.
Ten pesos (50 cents) go to the gunsmith.
Why? Because if I want to get a vest,
like what we use out on the street, and you want it to be "clean,"
if you don't pay up, you would get a worn-out one.
If you want to carry a nice pistol, personally, I prefer the Pietro Beretta,
there goes your ten pesos (50 cents).
How much is ten pesos (50 cents) per day every 15 days?
If you want a squad car, you need to pay an entrance fee
to the patrol car manager.
[Raúl] Learn your lines.
Bi-monthly, after taxes, I make about 1,100 pesos (55 USD).
Take that and support a family.
Take that and pay for your food, for transportation.
Take that to pay for necessities.
[water drip echoing]
[water splashing]
[Montoya] I would give anything to be the police officer I used to be.
To wake up and feel great about going to work.
To want…
To want to help.
[whistle blows in distance]
[Teresa] I'm a police officer, what a disappointment.
The career in the force didn't fulfill the expectations I had for it.
If I'm getting paid whether or not I do the job,
then why bother at all? That's the ugly truth.
[Montoya] After a day's work at a job that I started doing out of love,
for my love of justice,
they force me
to think it's complete garbage.
[whistle blows]
[Teresa] I can tell you that in 17 years,
the best time of my life was spent at the Academy.
It's so beautiful and so intense to experience that education.
I used to enjoy marching practice so much,
or learning military instruction at 5:00 a.m.
Sometimes I would take deep breaths and look up, elated.
You only see the hills on the horizon, nothing else.
And sometimes I felt like crying,
not out of sadness, but out of joy. I would say, "It feels so good."
In the exams they would give us,
the decisiveness test was the last one.
My colleagues in the task force said,
"You already got your credits for physical conditioning."
"The only thing left is the decisiveness test."
And I replied, "I'm not jumping in. I can't swim."
They would tie you to a flimsy rope and go, "Jump in."
The key is decisiveness.
You don't need to swim, you just need to show decisiveness.
"Once you jump in, we'll pull you out."
But it was a lie, because they would wait until you almost drowned
to finally pull you out.
[exhales deeply]
-[breathing deeply] -[whistle blows]
[tense music playing]
[man shouting]
[inhales deeply]
[whistle blowing]
[inhales deeply]
[somber music playing]
[Teresa] As I went in, I'm rubbing myself and my body was shaking.
I was scared, I was feeling the fear.
Once the fear and the anxiousness subsided,
I really felt pleased, because I thought, "Well, I did jump in."
I got home and went, "I jumped off the springboard." They didn't believe me.
"How?" I showed them the bruises and everything,
but I was feeling very pleased I'd done it.
And we are still making it work.
I said, "I'll look after you and you'll look after me."
And not a day goes by without me telling him I love and adore him.
He'd say, "I feel it." And I'd go, "No, I just wanted to say it."
What do you think?
We're still together.
Deciding if we should quit, seeing what the department will do,
weighing our options. It's just the two of us out there.
What do you think?
[wistful music playing]
In the winter of 2019, Teresa and Montoya submitted their resignation
as officers of the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection.
[wistful music playing]
Subtitle translation by: José Luis Albertini