Homicide rate down no Colon, Chepo killings in 53 days

Homicide rate down – no Colon, Chepo killings in 53 days
PANAMA’S Safe Neighborhoods program seems to be paying off according to police statistics, with the City of Colon showing no homicides for two months
The data, provided by the National Police sources, showed that the level of violence declined between February 28 and April 21, a major change in the social peace of the province.
The Minister of Public Safety, Rodolfo Aguilera, believes that this indicates that the Safe Neighborhoods program, is lowering the violence level. The program seeks to change the attitude of young people who make up gangs and are involved most of the shootings.
The plan, which this year amounts to $5 million, aims to train young people in various trades and reintegrate them, usefully, to society.
Statistical data of the National Police reveal that since the February 27 there has not been a single homicide committed in the city of Colon, Aguilera, said the drop in homicides in Colon is a product of the deployment since last July in urban centers, of an army social workers, psychologists, sports promoters, community police officers, artistic promoters and spiritual advisers to recruit young people in conflict with the law and train them in trades to integrate them into society.
He said that young people are engaged in the project of basic health 100/0 and the apartment building Roofs of Hope program, among others.
Figures from the National Integrated System of Criminal Statistics of the Ministry of Public Security show that in most of the areas where it is implemented the Safe Neighborhoods program homicide rates have declined during the first quarter of 2015 compared with the same period of the year Last.
According to the document, the most significant decrease was reflected in the province of Colón, where there were 40 murder victims until April 2014, while this year the figure is 14.
The statistics also show that in the area of Chepo since February there have been no killings.
Violent deaths have fell by 25% in April 2015 compared with the same month of 2014.
Aguilera said that the Safe Neighborhoods program this year includes an investment of $5 million in food stamps. Each participant is given a bonus of $50 per week in exchange for surrendering their weapons and work on beautification activities in their communities.
More than 700 at-risk youth involved in the initiative in Colon where they are trained in technical careers, said Abdiel Bravo, one of the pastors who work with them.