Individual Corruption

According to the Bertelsmann Foundation 2010, the police force is perceived to be one of the most corrupt institutions in Argentina. As is the case in many other countries in the region, paying bribes to the traffic police is a common tactic for avoiding legal penalties for traffic violations. This is backed by the Latinobarómetro 2008 (see English version) which reveals that Argentina is one of the countries in the region where most respondents in the public opinion survey believe that it is possible to bribe a policeman in order to avoid a fine or arrest. In addition, almost half of the surveyed households in Latinobarómetro 2010 consider corruption within the police to be the main problem for it to effectively fight crime.

Business Corruption

Companies should note that the Argentinean police are frequently cited as a corrupt institution, as reported by the Bertelsmann Foundation 2010, and the police force's actions are often viewed as arbitrary and politicised. According to Freedom House 2010, extrajudicial action is not uncommon, and the Buenos Aires police have been involved in several incidents of drug trafficking, corruption and extortion. According to the US Department of State 2009, between January and December 2008, there were 120 investigations against police officers in relation to allegations of corruption and criminal involvement. The report notes that the majority of cases of power abuses by the police involved extortion and protection of drug traffickers and prostitutes. Citing a local newspaper, the same source also reports that there were 13,619 police officers being investigated for acts of corruption, violence, or irregularities in Buenos Aires Province between 2008 and 2009, which led to the removal of approximately 300 officers from duty.

Political Corruption

Accountability within the police force is questionable and, according to Global Integrity 2008, the police are frequently subject to political interference. There are cases where corrupt police officers were made immune from the criminal proceedings and cases where a lack of resources or the lack of will to investigate corruption cases related to police officials was an obstacle. Furthermore, budget constraints affect the police's ability to carry out their mandate, and poor salaries are cited as an incentive towards petty corruption within the police.

The Oficina Anticorrupción (in Spanish), Argentina's anti-corruption agency, has an internal mechanism through which civil servants can complain about police actions. Attorneys and police stations receive complaints as well. According to Freedom House 2010, police abuse is rarely punished in the courts due to intimidation of witnesses and judges, especially in the province of Buenos Aires.

Frequency

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011:
- Business executives give the reliability of the Argentinean police services to enforce law and order a score of 3.0 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'cannot be relied upon at all' and 7 'can always be relied upon').

Latinobarómetro 2010:
40% of the surveyed households consider corruption within the police to be the main problem for it to effectively fight crime.

Transparency International: Global Corruption Barometer 2010:
- 20.5% of households who had contact with the police in 2009 report to have paid a bribe.

- 38.5% of households consider the police to be 'extremely' corrupt.

Latinobarómetro: Annual Report 2008 (see English version):
- 59% of respondents in this public opinion survey believe that it is possible to bribe a police official to avoid a fine or arrest.

Transparency International: Bribe Payers Index 2008:
- Business executives give the police a score of 3.9 on a 5-point scale (1 being 'not at all corrupt' and 5 'extremely corrupt').

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- 25.4% of companies surveyed identify crime, theft and disorder as major constraints to doing business.

- 76% of companies surveyed pay for security in Argentina.