Governor Maximiliano Pullaro, accompanied by Deputy Governor Gisela Scaglia and the Minister of Justice and Security, Pablo Cococcioni, led the commemorative ceremony for the 171st anniversary of the creation of the Rosario Police, in front of the Flag Monument. He recalled that "20 months ago this city was under siege by criminals" and that then "people believed that Rosario was not going to be what it is today, which is being reborn and pacified".
He attributed the change to the commitment of "the men and women of the police" and to a "public safety programme" sustained by a method that is applied "every day, every hour and all year round", with planning and operational control.
A sustained method
"The method is what sets us apart," he said, explaining that Rosario has 98 quadrants covered 24 hours a day. He pointed out that the number of 911 mobiles available has risen from 20 to 300 at the most complex times of day, thanks to "planning, execution and, fundamentally, leadership".
In July, he said, the police identified 190,000 people and 99,000 vehicles, and transferred almost 3,000 people under article 10 Bis. He recalled that at the beginning of his administration, up to 8,000 crimes were recorded monthly, while in the last two months the figures were around 1,900, "unique parameters in the century".
"Violence, which distinguished us in a negative way in the country, fell significantly and forcefully, although we paid for it with pain, because for years criminal organisations believed they were the masters of life and death," he said.
He also highlighted the work of the Penitentiary Service, which "put control in prison, which brought control and order to the streets". And he concluded: "To those who have an ideology that does not believe in order, I assure you that the times of the violent Rosario are over. This city will never again be what it was".
Decline in Homicide Rates
Vice-governor Gisela Scaglia affirmed that "Rosario is safe again, the place where children can study and the tourist city we can visit", and called to think "how the police force is going to incorporate technology, improve practices and continue to take care of every citizen with professionalism and honesty".
Cococcioni detailed that, with the Security Programme and the Emergency Plan, 7,831 vehicles were repaired and 940 patrol cars, 500 motorbikes, 360 vans and 1,800 new units were acquired. The force was also re-equipped, cooperation with federal forces was strengthened and more than 3,000 troops were deployed daily.
In terms of prisons, he indicated that there are 1,774 more inmates than 20 months ago and that the population in police stations in the department of Rosario has been reduced to 94 out of 144 available places. The homicide rate in the province dropped from 11.01 to 4.83 per 100,000 inhabitants; in Rosario, from 19.92 to 6.84. The 911 response time is 6'30'' on average and 5'16'' in high priority.
He also highlighted 88 retired police officers who have returned to service, and that work is underway to set up police stations, to incorporate a video surveillance system with artificial intelligence and to distribute less lethal weapons.
Overview and Historical Background
The event was attended by provincial authorities, legislators, members of the judiciary, police chiefs and representatives of the Armed Forces.
The Rosario Police was created on August 13, 1854, before the provincial force, by a decree of Governor Domingo Crespo with directives from President Justo José de Urquiza. Its mission, since then, is to comply with and enforce the law, guaranteeing the tranquillity and security of the community.
The ceremony concluded with the parade of the different groups that make up the Santa Fe Police.
