Barranquilla Mayor Alejandro Char requested 500 additional police officers due to a rise in theft in the Caribbean port city.
While the number of homicides has dropped in Barranquilla, Char pointed out that the ratio of police officers to residents in the city is one of the lowest in the country, reports El Heraldo. Bogota has one police officer for every 400 citizens, while Barranquilla only has one for every 800.
So far in 2010, there has been an over 10% increase in thefts at home. With 290 cases reported, there were 27 more than in 2009. Muggings have decreased since 2009.
The police have designed a “surveillance quadrant” strategy to deal with the increase in crime, where police officers are accountable for crime statistics in their assigned areas.
Mayor Char plans to maintain close communication with President Santos in order to ensure that the city receives the necessary resources.