Mayor Galán presents new security measures with “Operation Bogotá”

After a full recovery from acute appendicitis and a medical condition that required Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán to be hospitalized for more than a week, on Monday, Mayor Galán explained new security measures for the city, given a surge in armed robberies that have targeted restaurants and the city’s food districts.

Amidst the escalating security crisis, Mayor Galán, accompanied by Brigadier General José Daniel Gualdrón, chief of the Metropolitan Police, announced the implementation of a robust security strategy. This includes an additional 700 police officers on the street, the use of drones in surveillance, and additional controls by security forces in the city’s articulated transport system TransMilenio, road corridors, and parks. The initiative, dubbed ‘Operation Bogotá,’ is a comprehensive strategy between the mayoralty and the National Police within the framework of the administration’s ‘Bogotá Camina Segura’ (Bogotá Walks Safely).

The operational plan for recovering security on city streets from organized crime also involves the launch of a reward program and the release of “Most Wanted” posters spotlighting individuals known for committing violent acts of crime, from homicide to theft and micro-drug trafficking. Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán highlighted the necessity of “a coordinated multi-agency approach” involving the Police, Mayoralty, and the Attorney General’s Office.

The 700 officers will be strategically positioned in different parts of the capital to fight against extortion, concentrate on areas with significant population flows, and conduct targeted anti-theft operations, including interventions in the mass transit system. The first 100 officers will be incorporated in the coming hours to strengthen a command against theft and homicide in strategic points of the city.

The use of drones will be introduced in key locations such as Parque de la 93, Zona T, Park Way, and TransMilenio. The implementation of aerial technology equipped with cutting-edge security cameras and big data analytics will be accompanied by three helicopters patrolling the skies above Bogotá. Mayor Galán called on residents to collaborate with the Metropolitan Police in reporting incidents and security alerts.