“One of the fundamental tools of the Police to combat crime are the video surveillance cameras installed in Uruguay,” said Minister Heber, after celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Unified Command Center. The device monitors 8,600 cameras, attends to more than 100 daily alerts, some 4,200 calls to the 911 service and observes more than 3,200 people linked to crimes of gender violence.
The head of the Ministry of the Interior, Luis Alberto Heber, was accompanied, in the act held on Tuesday 17 at the headquarters of the Police Assistance and Social Security Directorate, by the Secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado; the undersecretary of the portfolio, Guillermo Maciel; the director general of the Secretariat, Luis Calabria; the head of the National Police, Diego Fernández, and the general director of the center, Alejandro Sánchez, among other authorities.
Heber noted the significance of the 10th anniversary as a milestone in the technology challenge and police training. “They are more eyes of the Police on the street and an incomparable weapon that helps us prevent and solve cases,” he stressed.
On the occasion, he valued the task of coordination and the professionalism of the officers, assured that he feels proud, that he believes in police action to prevent and suppress the fight against crime and supports it, and that arrival times at places where faults occur.
Likewise, he expressed that the tool is of vital importance to combat the drug trafficking network and that having technological elements helps to carry out this task with professionalism. He pointed out that the objective for the next 10 years is to continue with effective elements to generate peace and tranquility. “It is our duty and we are going to fulfill it,” he assured.
The minister indicated that there are more requests to incorporate cameras throughout the country and appreciated that society donates these instruments, drones and night vision goggles, which allow virtual patrolling.
Sánchez, meanwhile, recalled that the center was created as part of the High Technology Public Security Project in 2012. He pointed out that the command handles more than 100 daily alerts and some 4,200 calls to the 911 telephone service.
He pointed out that the police training objectives that improve citizen service were achieved, the barriers between the different police units were broken down to clarify criminal acts and the controls and auditing of contracts with suppliers were improved.
In addition, he indicated that with this device convictions or imputations of offenders for domestic or gender violence are achieved, and that the percentage of residual calls to the 911 service decreased from 75% to 25%. Among other achievements, he highlighted that the operability of the mobile command center and the psychology service was created to support officials in critical situations.
Functions and figures of the center
Through the Unified Command Center, the National Police coordinates and directs operational functions to all related units and agencies. It is also made up of the Technology, Criminal Analysis, Emergencies, Video Surveillance, Urban Analysis and Survey, and Electronic Monitoring departments.
The center handles the 911 emergency line, camera monitoring, the central operations table for Montevideo and Canelones, the Fire Department, the Highway Police, the Gender Violence Area and the Green Line.
Montevideo, with 4,034 cameras, is the department with the most installed. They are followed by Maldonado, with 1,237; Cannelloni, 854; Rivera, 357; Rock, 263; Long Hill, 267; Cologne, 214; Artigas, 208; Paysandu, 172; San Jose, 171; Lavalleja, 134; Rio Negro, 133; jump, 131; peach, 109; Soriano, 108; Tacuarembo, 105; Thirty-Three, 45; Florida, 31, and Flores, with 27.
The 1,637 electronic anklets of the perpetrators and the same number of devices of the victims are also controlled, which totals 3,274 people.
