Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — The Secretary of Public Security says panic buttons are being installed and tested around the city of Playa del Carmen. The first eight have been installed in residential bus stops in areas with known high rates of family and gender violence.
Raúl Alberto Tassinari González, the Secretary of Public Security, explained that the buttons, which are currently being tested, will be connected to the municipal C2 Centre which will allow for immediate police deployment.
The public panic buttons are also outfitted with a camera and microphone so those in need of help can talk to someone at the other end.
“They are being placed at the bus stops, we have already placed eight. We are doing the tests so that they are connected with the C2. They will have a camera and a microphone so emergency services can talk to the person.
“Likewise, we are also in test mode for the application that can be downloaded for those who require it,” he said.
He said that domestic and gender violence figures have grown significantly and is a factor in the installation of the public panic buttons.
“It has grown quite a bit. Already this year we have assisted 1,114 victims, 1,378 protection measures have been granted by Geavig, the search commission for 61 missing people has been attended to and we have given talks to more than 13,800 people,” he stated regarding domestic violence in Playa del Carmen.
The first public panic buttons are being tested at public transport stops in the Luis Donaldo Colosio and Villas del Sol neighborhoods.
Tassinari González says another 10 will be installed at public schools for student use against gender violence. Those additional 10 have been earmarked as part of the municipality’s Safe School Program.