Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - To ensure the safety of both the student community and the educational institutions in our city, the municipal government, headed by Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña, is implementing a joint effort security program designed to help eradicate criminal activities around Puerto Vallarta schools.

Under that premise, the head of the Puerto Vallarta police force, Jesús José Rodríguez Campoy recently held a meeting with sector coordinators, along with principals and teachers at several Puerto Vallarta schools to begin implementing the preventive and reactive measures that are necessary to improve the safety of study centers.

According to the coordination agreements that were signed, each of the educational buildings must have at least the basic security measures required by the city, such as gates with locks in good condition and the installation of audible alarms. In turn, the city will reinforce surveillance at the schools through increased police patrols, both on foot and by car, especially at night.

"It is important to get the parents and neighbors involved, too. Any suspicious loitering around schools should be reported immediately to mitigate criminal acts. This can be done by calling the emergency number 066, which guarantees the caller's anonymity," said Rodríguez Campoy.

During the meeting Claudia Matias, who is in charge of Crime Prevention, made a presentation of the approved school safety programs: Learning to Watch Out For Yourself, Parental Prevention, Youth Prevention, Neighbors on Alert, Street Education and D.A.R.E., among others, which have already been implemented in some schools and have had very favorable results.

Meanwhile, the teachers acknowledged that they have observed an increase in Preventive Police patrols around campus, saying officers have even visited some of the institutions as part of their continuing efforts to improve safety in our schools.