Cameras will be installed and lighting will be improved in Santa Cruz to combat crime.
The Santa Cruz City Council plans to install surveillance cameras and improve lighting in the La Vuelta de los Pájaros area to combat drug addiction and prostitution, and will also increase control over the dumping of exotic animals in parks.
Residents of the La Vuelta de los Pájaros neighborhood, near the Santa Cruz-Laguna highway, have long been asking the Santa Cruz City Council to address their problems. They are particularly concerned about drug addiction and prostitution, which have flourished in the area. Due to the darkness, there are many places where drugs are used and sold, as well as where people engage in sexual activity.
To solve this problem, the city authorities have agreed with local residents on urgent measures to reduce crime. This was announced by Carlos Tarife, the first deputy mayor responsible for public services.
He said that at a meeting with residents, it was decided to install surveillance cameras on the streets. This requires permission from the government sub-delegation and the High Court. Gladys de León, the councillor for public safety, will handle this issue. Residents are collecting signatures in support of the installation of cameras and will hand them over to the local police.
Also, according to Tarife, municipal services will urgently take up the case and complete the work within a month. They plan to install more lights, fence off and improve recreation areas.
He added that lighting will be improved on the stairs leading from La Vuelta de los Pájaros to the highway. The abandoned garden there will also be cleaned up. In addition, a small square inside the district will be arranged and fenced off, and in the future, they plan to develop a project for its complete reconstruction.
Tarife noted that they are going to demolish the wall near the Higher Conservatory of Music, where cases of drug use have also been observed. The garden near the entrance will also be improved. He is confident that these measures will significantly improve the situation.
In addition, the City Council plans to install 20 security cameras by the end of the month. Permission for this has already been obtained from the government sub-delegation. The cameras will help prevent crimes, including cases of people throwing away exotic animals or damaging the Clock.
Carlos Tarife said that most of the cameras will be installed near the Las Ranas pond and the Flower Clock. The contract for the installation of video surveillance systems, which will operate all year round, is currently being finalized.
He emphasized that if someone throws away an exotic animal, it will be recorded by the camera and the offender will be fined between 80,000 and 100,000 euros. In addition, he faces criminal liability for illegal possession of the animal and attempted damage to the park's biodiversity.