Colombia’s President launched a new policy focusing on boosting public safety by implementing a new combat elite force and adding over 20,000 police across the country, the Presidential Office announced on Thursday.
President Juan Manuel Santos’ new public safety policy includes the addition of 25,000 police to the national force, a special elite force to combat “higher impact” crimes, and the creation of a new Ministry for Public Safety.
The higher impact crimes outlined by the President include micro-trafficking (local drug-trafficking), cell phone stealing, extortion and computer hacking crimes against the public and the police and army.
The ambitious ten-point-plan is set to be implemented over the next four years.
To ensure public safety, the incorporation of 25,000 new and “more prepared policemen” on the streets will be conducted, as well as 15 new metropolitan police command centers across the country.
According to the statement, the use of technology will be strengthened to become “a great ally to combat crime.”
“Just as the guerrillas fear helicopters, common criminals will fear technology,” Santos stated.
According to the president, the new plan will include extended use of surveillance cameras, unmanned aircraft use of drones in cities, DNA registration of offenders, and the strengthening of the national cyber-security.
Santos also announced, that in cooperation with “(…) former police, police and those who know about security” the first research on the creation of Ministry for Public Safety is being carried out, Caracol Radio reported.
MORE: Santos confident FARC talks will result in peace deal before end of 2014
Santos announced on Monday that he was sure peace would be made with FARC before the end of 2014. This correlates with his public safety plan which states that “Peace will be the victory of our police and soldiers, which allows progress towards a final security.With peace Colombia will within a decade be a developed country.”
Sources
- Santos lanza Política de Seguridad Ciudadana para el próximo cuatrienio (Presidential Office Press Release)
- Santos propone crear fuerza elite para enfrentar delitos de mayor impacto (Caracol Radio)