But When I Kissed the Cop Down at 34th and Bribe...

Before I came to Russia, I heard a lot of stories about how the militsiya (as the police are known in Russia) tended to hassle foreigners. I got the overall impression it was best to steer clear of them because they were always on the prowl to find ways to exort bribes by claiming your paperwork isn't in proper order.

Luckily, I have had no brushes with the police, and I have learned, to my infinite delight, that most of what I have heard about the police hassling foreigners is untrue. Over lunch ysterday, George urged me strongly to stay away from the Kremlin until my passport and visa are returned from processing. In Russia, tourists have to undergo registration upon arrival. This is not a complicated process, but it does take a day or so for a visa sponsor (usually a hotel) to complete.

Well, naturally, tourists coming to Moscow usually head out to the Kremlin as their first foray, often the day after their arrival while their paperwork is being processed. This creates an opportunity for the police around the Kremlin to seek bribes from well-meaning people who are attempting to obey the law.

On the other hand, George gave me to understand that most of what I had heard was pretty far from the truth. Police really don't bother foreigners unless they create some kind of disturbance, usually by being drunk and disorderly in public. I'm not sure what the fuss is about in this regard; I really don't know of any place where people, tourists or otherwise, are not arrested or fined for being drunk and disorderly in public. The only person he knew who had had any trouble with the police was a friend who, in a state of inebriation, kissed a member of the militsiya.

What I have found to be true about the police, however, is that they are everywhere. And, it seems, everywhere in large groups, standing around smoking or making chit-chat with each other. I am beginning to wonder what it is the police in Moscow actually do, because, with the exception of the riot police out to keep order at the Victory Day Parade yesterday, I have yet to see many who looked as though they were doing anything.