Residents of the border town Maicao in the north-Colombian La Guajira peninsula have protested against the violence that has already taken 23 lives in the community so far this year.
Residents held a peaceful march through the main streets rejecting the violence and asking authorities to take action, Caracol Radio reported on Saturday.
Police commander Colonel Jose Edil Montoya Castro gave his support to the residents of Maicao, but said the town needs more than just police action, it needs a campaign of awareness to avoid more deaths.
Castro emphasized that January saw 24 days without murders and confirmed that the majority of the deaths in the past months have been due to fighting between criminal gangs or criminal activities.
Maicao has a reputation as a smuggling hot spot due to its location on the Venezuelan border.