by amapaspv | Apr 3, 2017 | Security | Seguridad
Your Amapas Neighborhood Association has an excellent relationship with our local police. That’s one reason they invited our colonia to participate in the new VEA Program – a sort of ‘Neighborhood Watch on steroids’ with an added Whatsapp element to ensure a rapid response in crime emergencies.
It’s all about crime prevention and community participation, which is where we come in. As part of the program’s roll-out, police have had good turnout at four ANA-sponsored informational neighborhood meetings, including two walking tours with local residents, identifying unsafe or potentially dangerous areas for particular police attention.
One thing that makes VEA different from a typical Neighborhood Watch is that this program is sponsored by the police, so they’re ‘all in.’ Another is VEA’s ‘Emergency Only’ Whatsapp group, which is monitored by the Police Chief himself, his deputies and watch commanders.
The Amapas Emergency VEA group works! We saw it in action last month, when a VEA Whatsapp message got immediate police and bomberos response that saved the life of an attempted suicide.
We’re now adding individual neighbors to our Amapas VEA ‘Emergency Only’ Whatsapp group.
We’ve asked Full Member Buildings to designate their own VEA contact. If you see a crime in progress, or a seriously dangerous situation unfolding, first call 911 – the operators speak English. Then call, text or email your VEA contact, Security Board Member Gene Mendoza or ANA Administrator Viviana Teston – they’ll send a Whatsapp text that will go straight to the top of the police chain of command, getting immediate response.
Not for reporting stray dogs on the highway, kittens in trees, or late-night noise (that’s all 911 territory), the VEA ‘hotline’ is for emergencies only.
We’ve asked HOA presidents or Boards to appoint your VEA contact – check with them to learn who your building’s contact person will be.
by amapaspv | Apr 3, 2017 | News | Noticias, Security | Seguridad
911 has finally arrived in Puerto Vallarta as a universal emergency phone number – and the operators speak English! But to get truly rapid response throughout greater Vallarta, it’s necessary to upgrade the radio transmissions of our emergency responders: police and bomberos.
Local businesses attempted to raise $10,000 USD through private donations. But contributions stalled short of the needed amount. Because Security is one of ANA’s priority missions (see ‘VEA Program’ below), your ANA Board scrounged $20,000 pesos from its already tight 2017 budget to close the deal.
After all, if we’re not there for 911 Emergency Response, Police and Bomberos…how can we expect them to be there for us when we need them?
It’s not too late to contribute at GoFundMe.com/PV911!
by amapaspv | Feb 28, 2017 | Security | Seguridad
VEA is Vallarta’s new neighborhood-based crime prevention program. Sort of a ‘Neighborhood Watch’ on steroids, providing instant reporting via Whatsapp, VEA is an acronym for Vecinos En Alerta – ‘Neighbors on the Lookout’ – and Amapas has been invited to participate.
Our first VEA meeting with the police, February 3, was hosted by ‘Taste’ Restaurant. Vallarta’s new Police Chief and his top officers introduced the program, complete with a PowerPoint presentation.
Our second neighborhood meeting, two weeks later, was hosted by Terrazas Del Mar to make it more convenient for our Los Pinos area members:
10 AM Wednesday, February 16, Terrazas del Mar
Amapas Neighborhood Association Full Member Building Terrazas del Mar hosted a presentation to two dozen interested neighbors by Chief of Police Jorge Valencia and District Attorney Francisco Sandoval, to further explain the new crime prevention partnership with Amapas focused on active participation by our neighborhood residents. The District Attorney explained that this program has been successfully implemented in 15 other Puerto Vallarta neighborhoods, resulting in reduced crime. Recently, for example, 16 people were rounded up in Emiliano Zapata, with the clear message that they were being watched.
Three officers from the Crime Prevention Unit outlined the need for residents and visitors to report crimes and suspicious activity to the police. Authorities believe crime often goes unreported, and while individual petty crime is often difficult to solve, patterns of crime allow authorities to focus resources and patrols to proactively achieve significant crime prevention and reduction. Without official crime reports, none of this can happen.
Participation by neighborhood associations also includes joint identification of crime-prone locations (poorly lit or otherwise convenient places for criminal activity.) These crime prone locations, referred to as “red spots,” can then be attacked with improved lighting, increased patrols, surveillance cameras, or a combination, to improve public safety.
Both DA and Police Chief stated that protecting foreign residents and tourists has become a top priority for the city. They are hopeful that our colonia will accept a closer, more active collaboration with the police as a way to achieve the crime reduction already seen elsewhere in Vallarta.
The Municipal Police will be providing Amapas residents access to a special WhatsApp Messenger group, allowing authorized individuals direct communication with senior police officials to report suspicious activity and crimes in progress.
During a Q&A period, Bill Williams, President of Terazzas Del Mar HOA, observed that the collaboration would provid an important step to improve public safety. Results will depend on the degree to which we all become involved with the program and support the authorities.
Louise Martin, from Paramont Bay, asked what the effect of posted bilingual signs such as ‘Neighborhood Watch Area, We Report Suspicious Activity,’ or ‘This area under video surveillance’ had on crime. The DA responded that petty criminals typically avoid those areas, but signs are no substitute for neighbors’ actions.
Gene Mendoza, ANA Board Member for Security, asked the DA to address reports in social media accusing police of ‘shaking down’ residents or visitors for bribes.
The DA reminded everyone that very often only one side of the story gets reported, and it is often the case that people stopped for petty offenses are the ones who offer, or at least agree to, a bribe. Chief Valencia stated that his policy is uncompromising: reported corruption automatically triggers placing the officer on administrative leave while an official investigation is opened and, if the charge of corruption is sustained, the officer is dismissed from the force immediately.
The results of these investigations will be reported back to us, so we can pass them along to local social media sites like Tricia Lyman’s Puerto Vallarta: Everything You Need Or Want To Know.
The District Attorney also announced that to improve the public’s confidence that they are interacting with authentic police officers, all officers are now required to display their official police ID cards on their uniform shirts. These ID’s are about the size of a credit card and include the officer’s picture. So while someone may be wearing a uniform, you should also expect to see their official ID to prove they are an authentic officer.
Amapas now has six Tourist Police (white Uniforms) regularly assigned to patrol our neighborhood (plus Conchas Chinas and part of Emiliano Zapata) in Police Truck #291, so we should expect to recognize them and get to know them personally. Two of the Amapas team – Gabby and Nicholas – were introduced.
The Municipal Police (blue uniforms) also patrol our neighborhood and coordinate with the Tourist Police to cover patterns of previously reported crime and identified “red spots.”
Juan Alverado asked a series of questions regarding police procedure and processing expectations following a crime. The process is divided into three parts and was outlined as, a) reporting crime, b) interacting with the ‘first responder’ police and c) interacting with subsequent ‘investigative’ police and following up on their procedures. Each of these process areas will be detailed in a later article.
The police will also look into the possibility of stationing a representative in the Tourism office to receive and follow up on crime reports from foreigners.
In summary, our municipal justice and public safety officials state that the protection of foreign visitors has been prioritized ahead of local citizens. However, the focus on improved crime prevention affecting visitors and expats will require the active collaboration and engagement of us all.
Please continue to report crime or suspicious activity by calling 911, or calling 089 if you wish to remain anonymous.
(This is the first of a series of ANA reports on Police/Security issues and VEA meetings and follow-ups.)
by amapaspv | Oct 14, 2016 | News | Noticias, Security | Seguridad, Street
Last month, ANA worked with affected neighbors to keep Calle Gardenias and Callejon de la Igualdad both clean and passable.
Gardenias had a major rock-and-mud spill, the result of too much rain and too little drainage. Once Proteccion Civil cleared the road, ANA and Las Moradas Condominium partnered to clean the street and clear the clogged drainage channels and culvert to keep the problem from repeating.
In the Callejon, debris left in the wake of an overturned water truck was removed, and the street cleaned up by ANA in partnership with Casa Cupula.
Sharing the cost and the benefit. Getting things done for Amapas.
by amapaspv | May 3, 2016 | News | Noticias, Security | Seguridad, Street
Yes, we know that topes can be a pain in the… suspension. And, yes, thanks to Transito, we have some new ones on our highway. But they serve a purpose: preventing accidents, saving lives. And these particular topes are a ‘three-fer.’
ANA doesn’t just wave a magic wand and make things happen…though we often wish we could. We have to formally petition for City approval and action with explanations and photographs. Like many prayers, ours aren’t always answered, and when they are, we often need to pay, or at least contribute substantially, for the improvements we request.
That’s the case with the new topes on Highway 200 at Callejon de la Igualdad. We made the request for three reasons: 1) members who use the crosswalk often have to dodge the speeding cars, taxis and trucks that whiz around the blind curve at high speed. 2) The beer store on the corner draws customers who often park helter-skelter, blocking the Callejon and making it hard or impossible for cars and taxis to turn off the highway…making them sitting ducks for the next speeding driver to come around the curve. 3) If you’re heading into town on the highway and want to make a left-turn onto Calle Pulpito, you often have to wait for oncoming traffic or the cars and taxis already lined up on Pulpito to clear. Because of the blind curve behind you (see #2, above), you’re a sitting duck for the next driver to rear-end you.
Transito has promised to paint and monitor the new topes, as well as both intersections. In the meantime, we hope we’ve improved three traffic-safety and pedestrian issues with a handful of topes.
by amapaspv | May 3, 2016 | News | Noticias, Security | Seguridad
ANA recently hosted a breakfast with six key City officials at Casa Cupula’s ‘Taste’ Restaurant to discuss issues and needed improvements in Amapas.
Police Chief J. Antonio Rodriguez, Director of Public Safety Lic. Jesús José Rodríguez Campoy; Sub-Director of Bomberos & Proteccion Civil: Cmdte. Adrián Elíseo Bobadilla García; Sub-Director of Transito Josefina Ibarria; Deputy Transito Director Everardo Rubio; and Arq. Rodolfo Macías Gómez: Sub-Director of Obras Publicas, Representing ANA: President Tom Swale, Treasurer Don Pickens, and Liaison Ing. Fernando Hernandez.
- Item #1 was preventing erosion caused by summer rains from undermining Los Pinos just above the first turn. The Director of Proteccion Civil said that he recognizes the rains are once again approaching, and promised immediate action. We’ll keep you posted.
- To improve emergency and security communications, the Chief of Police requested our help obtaining new and more powerful radios. Because of your generous donations to the Police & Bomberos Casita, ANA has the funds available to help out.
- On Upper Hortensias, Proteccion Civil will soon produce a dictamen of risk concerning the slow-motion sinkhole that has appeared in the pavement nearVillas de Colina II and El Campanario. ANA presented a petition to Transito to remove a ‘permanently parked’ car there that was forcing traffic to drive across the sinkhole. (The apparently abandoned car has since been removed, making driving there safer).
- Obras Publicas agreed to proceed with ANA’s Hortensias Repaving Project, and asked that we write a formal letter to Mayor Davalos to get his personal support for the project (Our letter official letter to Mayor Davalos has been delivered).
- Transito informed us that our request for ‘speed reductors’ (also known as topes) for the Highway 200 crosswalk at Callejon de la Igualdad had been approved, and they would soon be installed.
- Also discussed was ANA’s plan to clear and pave the sidewalk area on the west side of the highway. We requested any highway improvement plans in the City files as a starting point, but were informed that the area falls under joint local, state and federal jurisdiction, so approvals could be complicated. Nevertheless, our research & planning is officially underway.
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