San Juan Police strengthen surveillance at bus stops with heat map
San Juan Police deployed operations from 5:30 a.m. at problematic bus stops in Chimbas, Capital and La Bebida to curb robberies and stone-throwing attacks.
Operations at bus stops: San Juan combines critical time slots and crime mapping
Robberies at bus stops and stone-throwing attacks against moving vehicles prompted San Juan Police to strengthen surveillance in various sectors of the province, according to telesoldiario.com. The strategy combines identification of critical zones, time slots with the highest incidence, and deployment of personnel at the points of greatest conflict.
The deputy chief of police, Commissioner Pablo Torres, explained that the force uses what is called a heat map to guide its resources. "Based on the facts that are being committed, we have a heat map and we observe what type of crime was committed and in what zone," said Torres.
According to the commissioner's account, the incidents concentrate mainly in two time slots: around 6 in the morning and 10 at night, when residents leave for or return from their activities. The most affected sectors include Avenida Benavidez—between the Tucumán and Rawson zones—and various points in Chimbas and La Bebida.
To reduce robberies at stops, the force implemented operations from 5:30 in the morning, with personnel posted at the places of highest recurrence. "We implemented operations starting at 5:30 in the morning with officers stationed at the different bus stops where we noted incidents, so that when citizens arrive to catch a bus they can do so without suffering any problems, especially on the side of Chimbas, Capital and La Bebida," Torres described.
Double operation on Avenida Benavidez
A particular case was that of Avenida Benavidez, in the vicinity of the Costa Canal neighbourhood. Torres explained that young people were carrying out the incidents at the stops and then escaping through a pedestrian footbridge towards the interior of the neighbourhood, which forced them to split the deployment. "We had to implement a double service, an operation inside the neighbourhood and another on the outside to prevent this situation," he said.
Vandal attacks on buses: difficult identification of those responsible
The damage caused by stones to buses in circulation presents a different difficulty for investigators. Unlike robberies at stops, these attacks can originate from homes or land adjoining the route, which complicates the identification of those responsible.
Torres ruled out that the objective is robbery: "The kids don't do it with the intention of stealing, but they do it to cause damage, because they are kids who believe that doing this is fun for them and they aim at the buses or police vehicles." On the method, he added: "These are vandal acts where they break the windows and it is difficult to know where it comes from, because it is not a person standing in the street but rather they aim at the bus from some residence or back yard."
Chimbas: patrols by car and motorbike, and even officers inside the buses themselves
In Chimbas, near the Cipolletti police station, where there had been episodes of window breakage, the Police added patrols in cars and motorbikes. At certain times, the presence of officers was also arranged inside the buses themselves. Torres affirmed that the measure proved effective: "The problem stopped happening."
Regarding the general situation at the monitored stops, the deputy police chief was categorical: "At present, with respect to people going to catch the bus in the places where we are stationed, we do not have any incidents committed whilst the police are there." Regarding the Rivadavia department, he highlighted that in South La Bebida such incidents have not been recorded for some time.
The police strategy combines surveillance during times of greatest circulation, preventive patrols and assessment of sectors with greater repetition of incidents, with the aim of reducing risks for passengers and preventing further damage to public transport units.
Source: Google News PR — San Juan