San Juan & Bayamón to collaborate on security

San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo, seated left, and Bayamón Mayor Ramón Luis Rivera Cruz signed a collaborative security agreement on Sunday for the exchange of technology, information and specialized resources between the two cities to strengthen crime prevention, support criminal investigations, expedite emergency responses and bolster public safety.

By THE STAR STAFF

San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo and Bayamón Mayor Ramón Luis Rivera Cruz signed a collaborative security agreement on Sunday that enables the exchange of technology, information and specialized resources between the two cities to strengthen crime prevention, support criminal investigations, expedite emergency responses and bolster public safety.

“The safety of our citizens requires municipal governments to identify new ways of working together,” Romero said in a written statement. “This agreement stems from the conviction that we can always do more to protect our communities and strengthen the tools available to combat crime and respond to emergencies. When we find opportunities to collaborate, we have a responsibility to seize them. That is exactly what we are doing today.”

Rivera added that “[t]echnological tools have transformed the way investigations are conducted and security incidents are handled. Integrating capabilities allows for faster access to information and better use of available resources.”

“Such coordination strengthens our teams’ daily work and improves operational response capacity,” the Bayamón mayor said. “That is one of the main benefits of this alliance.”

As part of the collaboration, the adjacent municipalities will be able to share images, recordings and data captured by their respective surveillance systems when incidents occur within their jurisdictions or impact both. They also will integrate specialized technology platforms to expedite access to information needed to support criminal investigations, security operations and emergency situations.

Currently, the Municipality of San Juan has nearly 1,200 surveillance cameras installed in strategic areas of the city, 22 license plate readers, artificial intelligence systems for vehicle identification, five autonomous solar surveillance towers, three mobile command centers, a fleet of four drones, and a Digital Evidence Laboratory that supports investigations and the analysis of technological evidence related to public safety matters.

Bayamón boasts the Advanced Technology Center for Security Systems (TASS), featuring 235 surveillance cameras strategically distributed throughout the city, 54 cameras with license plate recognition systems located on major roadways, and a Fusion Center for monitoring and criminal intelligence. Additionally, it operates nine real-time electronic surveillance towers equipped with high-definition cameras, thermal technology, gunshot detection and license plate recognition systems. Its technological infrastructure also includes a mobile command center, surveillance drones, a cargo drone, an underwater drone, and a municipal police force fully equipped with body-worn cameras.

The agreement also promotes training exchanges between municipal law enforcement agencies to strengthen operational capabilities, improve inter-municipal coordination, and share knowledge and experience in specialized areas of public safety.

In addition to information sharing, the agreement allows for the temporary loan of specialized surveillance equipment between the two municipalities to bolster security operations and special events, including five autonomous solar-powered surveillance towers and three mobile command centers. Furthermore, it enables the Municipality of San Juan to make its Digital Evidence Laboratory available to support the analysis, processing, and handling of technological evidence related to investigations and public safety matters. As part of the collaboration, San Juan may also provide specialized support using its fleet of four drones for surveillance, monitoring, search operations and emergency management, subject to applicable Federal Aviation Administration authorizations and regulations.

The agreement will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2028.