The District Council began the study and debate of the Public Policy on Security and Citizen Coexistence, a project that Cali had been waiting for for more than a decade.
With an investment of over $600 billion and projected to be in effect for ten years, The initiative focuses primarily on preventing violence, reducing crime and broadly strengthening human rights.
This will be achieved thanks to several actions, such as strengthening the capabilities of the Public Force, which will have improvements in intelligence and investments in technology so that those in uniform have the tools they require.
“We are seeking to strengthen the video surveillance system and call interception, triangulation, and transportation equipment, among others, that will allow us to dismantle criminal structures. We are going to provide them with everything they need.”Pretel added.
Likewise, there is a comprehensive and innovative look at security, which goes from the depths of the communities to an approach, for the first time, as a city region.
Faced with the first, We will work with community networks, seeking to enable citizens to generate security fronts and support networks. and to be in contact with the authorities in the fight against crime. Likewise, a joint effort with the municipalities surrounding Cali is being proposed.
These maneuvers, in addition to helping to reduce violent events, seek to make Cali residents feel safer and calmer living in their city. “We want citizens to know at all times what we are doing, where the resources are going and that comprehensive long-term vision.”
What is lacking?
The project has just begun its process in the Council, where the coordinators are Alexandra Hernández and Andrés Escobar, accompanied by the speakers Ana Erazo, Rodrigo Salazar and Juan Felipe Murgueitio.
Councilwoman Hernández recalled that 16% of Cali residents said they had been victims of a crime in the last year, Therefore, the proposal to respond to high-impact crimes is worth highlighting.
“The project has a comprehensive approach to care, The social component is contemplated, through interventions in sports, culture and public lighting, “Since 57% of Cali residents feel unsafe because of unlit public roads,” he explained.
For this reason, he will ask that the budget for public policy be increased. “Major changes require an available budget that allows room for maneuver. Cali faces a great challenge, we are facing a worsening of the armed conflict and we have to be prepared”he said.
Strengthening actions against theft is one of the needs, continued the councillor, who revealed that in the coming days he will open a mailbox so that the people of Cali can share their main concerns and present them during the debate on the project.
Political scientist and citizen security expert Luis Felipe Barrera described the introduction of the public policy as a “historic milestone” and said that it was a success that the work accumulated by other mayors’ offices was taken up.
“I must highlight its multidimensional nature, which guides decision-making based on evidence and strengthens civic consensus,” he expressed, in addition to its significant contribution “It is the proposal of a community security management model to have better governance.”
For his part, Iván Carvajal, a security consultant and expert in strategic intelligence, indicated that while most attention is paid to high-impact crimes, We must also look at the cases generated by intolerance, which are around 30%.
He also said that it is important to coordinate organizations such as Welfare, Peace and Citizen Culture, Participation and others, as well as Cali residents and private institutions, in the effort to achieve greater security for Cali.
The 4 axes of public policy
The Public Policy was structured with four lines of work:
- Cali with citizen culture, preventing violence, promoting coexistence and civility.
- Cali with intelligence and technology, to reduce crime and mitigate its impacts.
- Cali with authority, for crime disruption.
- Cali respects the Human Rights (HR), building peace and strengthening access to justice.
It should be noted that the project is articulated with the Framework Policy for Coexistence and Citizen Security (PMSCC), at the national level.
