March 29, 2006
CCTV will guarantee safety on the streets of Caracas

(Agencia Bolivarian de Noticias) - "The most modern electronic security centre in Latin America will start operating in Caracas with 3.600 cameras in several key points around the city, as well as six zeppelins distributed over Caracas.

According to Caracas Mayor, Juan Barreto, this goal will be achieved by 2007. The video system is now being installed and the zeppelins acquired for USD 5 million (12 billion bolivares) will soon arrive in the country.

This project is being coordinated by the Caracas Mayor's Office together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Justice (MIJ). According to Mayor Barreto, this centre will allow better coordination of police work, because the force will be connected and able to maximise efforts.

Although Barreto highlighted as a major achievement the reduction of crime levels in Caracas, which are between 43% and 53%, he also said there is a need to invest USD 22 million (48 billion bolívares) to finish cleansing the Metropolitan Police (PM) and incorporating new agents (...)

This deficit in police agents generates the impossibility to reduce the number of muggings, although there have been positive results in dealing with other crimes like auto theft, kidnappings and extortion (...)".