La Victoria Plans 16 New Cameras Amid Police Shortage

La Victoria de Acentejo City Council plans to put up 16 new cameras at 14 different spots around the town. The main reason for this is to help make up for the shortage of local police officers. This new traffic control system is currently in the bidding process, with a budget of over 80,000 euros. The council expects the cameras to be up and running by early 2026. The system will come with a two-year maintenance contract, which could be extended for another two years. The actual installation of the cameras should take three months.

Beyond just cameras, the new surveillance system will also include devices to read license plates, a dedicated control room, and training for police officers. At the moment, La Victoria's police force has only four officers. Juan Ramón Afonso Gutiérrez, the Councilor for Security, Traffic, and Mobility, stated that based on the town's population of over 9,000 residents (as of 2024), there should ideally be between nine and ten officers. La Victoria de Acentejo is located in northern Tenerife.

Because of this shortage of staff, the La Victoria council sees the new system as a "strategic tool" for its officers, according to the project report. The report highlights the need to provide the local police with modern digital tools for surveillance and traffic control.

The locations for these surveillance cameras have been carefully picked to monitor vehicles coming into and leaving La Victoria de Acentejo. Most of these cameras will have two sensors: one to read license plates and another to record the general surroundings.

In total, there will be 14 smart traffic control points, featuring 16 cameras. These cameras are designed for "contextual viewing" and to gather "vehicle movement intelligence." Out of the 16 cameras, 14 will specifically read the license plates of cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles.

Key locations for the camera installations include the main road entering from La Matanza de Acentejo, the Mencey Bencomo roundabout, an area close to the TF-5 highway, and the main road from Santa Úrsula (TF-217).

La Victoria de Acentejo's mayor, Juan Antonio García Abreu (from the PSOE party), shared the news on his social media. He mentioned some "administrative difficulties" that had slowed down the bidding process. While some council buildings already have internal CCTV, these 16 cameras will be the very first to be placed on the streets of La Victoria de Acentejo specifically for traffic control.