The city of Playa del Carmen, a popular tourist hotspot in Mexico's Riviera Maya, is about to get a major security upgrade. Some 1,000 security cameras will be installed throughout the city, according to an announcement by Rodolfo del Angel Campos, the secretary of public security for the state of Quintana Roo.
The cameras are part of a larger project of 3,000 security cameras being installed throughout the state, which is home to such popular visitor destinations as Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, the Mayan ruins at Tulum and themed attractions Xel-ha and Xcaret.
In Playa del Carmen, the cameras will be placed along the city's busiest streets and will also be installed in popular gathering spots.
The Secretary of Security also announced that state police presence will be increased in Playa del Carmen. Currently, 180 officers are posted in Cancun and another 60 in Playa del Carmen, but more are being recruited.
"With those efforts, we have been able to reduce the incidence of crime," said del Angel Campos, according to the Yucatan Times. "It is not a total reduction, it is not yet what we are hoping for, but results are being obtained."
The region has seen an uptick in crime recently, which is causing concern among Mexican tourism officials as the media attention over those incidences could have a negative effect on visitation to the area. However, authorities have also pointed to the recent arrest of several high-profile narcotics gang bosses, which they also believe will help reduce some of the increased violence in the area.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Exploring Vibrant Playa del Carmen [/READMORE]
The state's governor Carlos Joaquín González also notes that Quintana Roo has a relatively low crime rate. The state ranks seventh in Mexico on the list of states with the lowest number of crimes reported, according to the Mexico News Daily. In total Mexico is comprised of 31 states and one federal district.
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