By A.M. Costa Rica staff
The government has announced the goal of safeguarding peace and tranquility in the country, with operations to combat crime and taking action to prevent crimes.
"I want people to feel safe, that they can leave their homes and enjoy without fear and danger," said President Alvarado.
According to Michel Soto, Security Ministry, the so-called mega patrol operations helps to reduce crime. "We have established, for the first time, mega patrol operations to prevent crime. We made 21 mega operations during the Christmas holidays in the country’s more conflicted neighborhoods."
In addition, Soto recounted the actions that have been taken to reinforce security and prevent crime. Among the most important actions are:
-From May to December of last year, 50 mega operations have been carried out to combat crime.
-The U.S. Embassy, is financing the strategy to prevent crimes, known as "Sembremos Seguridad" (let’s plant security), which began on September 1 and will be held in the 82 cantons of the country. The strategy is that officers travel around the country visiting municipalities and interviewing people to know what factors generate insecurity in each place.
-The Chinese government made a donation of ₡3,378 million colones ($5,586,887) that will be invested in the purchase of telecommunications equipment and protection for the officers.
The Ministry of Security appointed 579 officers from the Police Academy to reinforce the vigilance and carry out preventive activities such as: "La Mejenga" (the game), which is to interact with children at social risk by means of a soccer game. Another activity is "Cine en mi barrio” (movies in the neighborhood) and Christmas concerts in communities classified as "strategic" for the police.
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Casa Presidencial courtesy photo
"I want people to feel safe, that they can leave their homes and enjoy without fear and danger,"
said President Alvarado.
In addition, there has been reinforcement of many police organizations such as tourist police, police on horseback, traffic police, border police, air surveillance police, coast guard officers, immigration police, national emergency commission officers, park rangers, firemen and Red Cross, among others.
The Ministry of Security, reported that there was a decrease in homicides, from 603 in 2017 to 587 in 2018. This is due to the dis-articulation of a large number of criminal structures linked to drug trafficking, money laundering and kidnappings. "We took all the data of the homicides that occurred in the previous years and we made an analysis. We detected where there are more conflicts and put more police there. The police removed weapons and tried to prevent cases," said Minister Michael Soto.
According to the Security Ministry, the mega patrol operations to prevention of crimes will continue throughout the country.
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