The residents of the María Mercedes residential have arranged three surveillance shifts to guarantee security in the sector. LEONEL MATOS /LD
Besieged by criminal acts and overwhelmed by the fear of whether they or one of their loved ones will be the next victim of an assault, the residents of Villa Faro in Santo Domingo Este decided to take their own means and actions to guarantee their safety.
From taking turns guarding young people, children, or older adults while they leave for their schools, universities, medical appointments, or jobs to making surveillance rounds at night and in the morning, measures are already underway in the María Mercedes residential area, in the sector as mentioned above.
Jesús Mercedes, president of the neighborhood council and owner of block three of Villa Faro, the leading representatives of 26 small neighborhoods between the Mendoza and San Isidro highway, explained to LISTÍN DIARIO that they have met with the police authorities to externalize the problem that afflicts them. Still, they have not obtained the expected response.
The permanent state of rampant crime was what, according to those consulted, motivated the idea of hiring a private security agency to put custody of the place in their hands.
“Due to the high level of crime that we have been affected by, by virtue of that, we are forming a private security department for ourselves,” Jesús Mercedes pointed out.
The representative of the neighbors of María Mercedes explained that the cost will be borne by the community with collections and will consist of staff made up of three people.
“One in the morning and two at night. The one in the morning will only be at the entrance to watch whoever enters, and at night there will be one at the entrance and the other who will give us motorized service through the streets,” he specified.
According to the community, the claims also reached the National Palace in February 2021, when President Luis Abinader met with neighborhood associations from Santo Domingo Este at the government house.
“Both the past and present authorities have not taken us into account ,” said Mercedes, while revealing that they have met several times with the person in charge of the Villa Faro detachment, but “everything remains the same.”
However, the community leader indicated that he does not hold the members of the body of order in that delegation responsible but that “it is a matter from above.”
As he explained, “it cannot be required” that 35 officers, the approximate number that the Villa Faro detachment has, do the work of 90, which, in his opinion, is the minimum that should be deployed for a sector “so great.”
The relocation or expansion of the detachment and the reduction of the crime rate defined them as “the number one needs” that the community requires.
Mercedes pointed out that the one they already have, “it’s as if they didn’t have it” since there is no space.
“It is a detachment that cannot be provided with the necessary tools, because its premises do not allow it. Very small,” he stressed.
He said that Villa Faro comprises about 50 sub-neighborhoods, and more police officers are needed to meet security demands.
On his side, Carlos Cisneros, another community member, maintained that they were being hit by a wave of theft of rear-view mirrors and vehicle batteries.
Cisneros specified that between 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning and from 8:00 at night, the criminals access the residential and steal the car parts they find on the streets.
This trend is added to waiting for people at the entrance to “fall” and “rob” them.
Citizen complaints in recent weeks have intensified due to the insecurity that prevails in the streets due to deficiencies in patrolling.