Colombia’s historic coastal city of Cartagena has begun a police campaign to increase tourist safety, according to newspaper El Colombiano.
Cartagena’s Metropolitan Police have announced the launch of a “Safe Beaches” initiative, which will see 800 police officers positioned at strategic points around the city’s beaches, as well as other key tourist spots such as the old town and the historic city walls.
The surveillance will run throughout the day and night, with officers stationed in motor boats, helicoptors, beach buggies, on horseback and on foot. It is hoped that the increased police presence will deter tourist theft and ease concerns around the relatively high level of street robbery in the tourist city.
The same initiative will see tourist information booths manned by police personnel dotted throughout key tourist spots, offering guidance and advice to both residents and tourists.