It’s one of those inevitable encounters you have to expect if you plan to enjoy the nightlife in the Ukraine. The police can spot foreigners a mile away, and they come right for you. Upon leaving the Arena City club in Kiev last night, I unfortunately jinxed us — a Canadian traveler and myself — when I joked, “I wonder how many cops are waiting for us outside?” The answer was three. Here are some tips I learned from my firsthand experience.
For starters, when leaving popular nightclubs, you have to expect that the police will be in the vicinity. These clubs are generally filled with foreigners and better-off locals, so it’s the perfect place to find individuals you can fine. You might want to consider taking taxis from such clubs (just negotiate the fare in advance), but if you’re like me and prefer to walk, you must make sure to scan the block for police vehicles before heading down the street. In our case, there was a vehicle specifically waiting for clubbers to pass by, but we weren’t paying attention and walked right toward it. We tried to turn casually onto a side street, but they yelled from the car and rushed to us. It’s also a good idea to keep your mouth shut whenever walking by the police in general so they don’t hear you speaking anything other than Russian or Ukrainian.
The police asked for our passports and immigration cards. Upon entering the Ukraine, I filled out a card in which I was given back half and told to keep it until I exit the country. Unfortunately, I didn’t know I’m supposed to keep it on me at all times. It includes a stamp that says when I entered the country, which tells them if I’ve overstayed my allotted time. This could have been a problem, though I showed them where my hostel was on a map — just a few blocks away — and encouraged them to walk with me there so I could show them. Ultimately, though, they were more interested in whether or not we were carrying drugs and to make sure our records were clean. They insisted on taking us back to the station. As we walk, I casually stuff most of my money down the front of pants, because if they decide to strip search me, getting robbed will be the last of my concerns.
We walked a few blocks, and I started to worry when they directed us down a dark alley. The street took us past a seedy strip club and then into a pitch-black courtyard away from any witnesses. We crossed the courtyard to what looked like residential apartments or offices, and this is where we really freaked out. They had to unlock a gate to enter, which inspired the question, “What, are they afraid they’d get robbed?” It appeared they were taking us into a private residence in dark courtyard, and at this point I had to speak up. I challenged that this was not a police station and demanded that I be able to call my embassy before entering. After a minute or so of debate, they opened the front door and let me peak inside, and I did see more officers and office buildings. We agreed to enter.
Once inside, the fellow traveler and I were put in separate rooms, and they made us empty all of our pockets and then turn them inside out. They then patted us down and actually smelled the money for drugs but did not steal any. They then asked several questions about drugs and alcohol as they ran my passport through the computer. Everything came out clean, so they let me go.
My Canadian friend had to spend more time in the room. He had more money, which he also hid. This was his second encounter with the police — the previous time the officer wanted money to keep from taking him to jail but backed down when the traveler agreed to go rather than pay — so he felt more confident in talking them down.
We both made it out with all our cash, but this isn’t always the norm. The Russian police robbed me three years ago, and an Australian in my hostel in Lviv got robbed by the police there last week. Sometimes it’s easier to let them take your dough, though my Canadian proved you can sometimes get away by agreeing to go to jail rather than give up your money.
So, what did I learn from the experience? For starters, I will now program the phone number of the American Embassy in each region I visit for when situations like this get sketchy. It’s also worth making sure you have the number for your hotel or hostel already programmed in your phone for a quick call for help or translations. Upon entering a new country, I will also ask the hotel or hostel what I need to carry on me, as the Ukrainian police could have made bigger deal about my lack of immigration card. You also want to make sure you keep your money in different pockets, and when possible, hide the bigger bills in your clothing, pack, purse or wallet. Lastly, while each situation differs, I was reminded of the importance of staying calm and projecting strength while still being cooperative.
It’s a horrible experience to deal with the police at 5 a.m. in a foreign country, but this particular situation turned out OK. Prepare as best you can as you never know when this might happen to you.