Peru builds new police bases in fight against crime

Seven new decentralized police bases will be established in Peru to combat crimes such as illegal mining, Interior Minister Wilfredo Pedraza said Tuesday. "The government will set up seven new police bases in the country's north, south, eastern and central regions to fight a rise in crime and improve security," Pedraza said during an address to the Congressional Defense Committee. The head of the committee, Hugo Carrillo, said the additional bases will help fight crime in areas plagued by illegal mining operations, which he called a problem "that must be solved." "The decision to beef up police presence in certain regions is not an isolated initiative, but part of president Ollanta Humala's drive to resolve the country's more pressing issues, such as crime," he added. To man the bases, the government will recruit some 5,000 police officers from a crop of 8,000 new graduates from the nation's police academies. The government has also acquired four French-built helicopters to aid in aerial surveillance and emergencies, supplied local governments with video cameras, and set up an emergency hotline. Carrillo hailed it as an "investment for the next 20 years." The measures are a response to a wave of kidnappings, robberies and violent crime affecting Lima and other Peruvian cities which have led to the public demanding greater efforts and spending on public security.