San Juan Mayor Miguel A. Romero Lugo reiterated the security plan, which for the first time will include artificial intelligence, that will be carried out Jan. 18-21, 2024, during the 54th edition of the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, to ensure the safety, order and well-being of residents, merchants and attendees at the large-scale event.
How much police presence to expect
A total of 1,350 personnel, made up of 550 municipal officers, 400 private officers from Génesis and Sheriff Security Services (100 armed and 300 unarmed), and 400 from the State Police, will be stationed on every street in Old San Juan.
They will work 12-hour shifts to guard property, oversee stage areas, and support traffic controls and municipal public transit stations.
New emergency buttons will be installed
For the first time, the municipality will have the use of ten "call boxes," or emergency button stations, distributed across the plazas and strategic points along Calle San Sebastián, which will operate with artificial intelligence tools for operational efficiency and public safety.
How do they work? The GENETEC video intelligence program uses all devices positioned throughout the walled city and at municipal transportation stations to facilitate rapid responses and provide evidence for investigations should any situation arise.
"This artificial intelligence, which the Municipality of San Juan acquired at an approximate cost of $130,000 for its licenses and programming updates, will be launched at this event to help with automatic detection of suspicious behavior, pattern recognition and early warnings of possible threats," San Juan Mayor Miguel A. Romero said.
The technology will continue to be used in San Juan
After the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, this technology will be permanent on all security cameras installed throughout the capital city, including those at Plaza del Mercado in Santurce and Parque Jaime Benítez, among others, Romero Lugo said.
Surveillance reinforced with more cameras
Among the technology that will be used to reinforce surveillance of the cultural event this weekend, the municipality will install 30 "Tower Cams." Each unit has five cameras and a lamp, providing a 360-degree view of its location.
The 30 "Tower Cams" will be eco-friendly and powered by solar panels. If a failure occurs, they switch to battery power to keep operating.
They will complement the 198 regular monitoring cameras in Old San Juan, bringing the total number of cameras available to assist in attendee security to 375," the mayor added.
In the event that a person detained for any offense needs to be transported, a working group has been designated to transfer the individual to one of the precincts outside the Isleta and continue due process.
A surveillance tower will be placed at the corner of Calle Dr. Francisco Rufino de Goenaga and Calle Del Cristo, and a mobile unit at the corner of Plaza San José. The municipal precincts located at Casa Alcaldía and Covadonga will operate on an extended 24-hour schedule.
