Mendoza: Neighborhood Participation for Prevention

The Neighborhood Participation for Prevention initiative focused on consolidating a citizen security model based on shared responsibility between the local government, security forces, and the community. Implemented in the City of Mendoza, this initiative aims to strengthen crime prevention through the active participation of residents, shopkeepers, and pedestrians in creating safer urban environments.

The program emerged as an evolution of previous experiences such as Eyes on Alert and Community Alarms, which demonstrated the strategic value of information provided by the community. In 2024, this approach was institutionalized through the creation of the Coordination of Neighborhood Participation for Prevention, consolidating a management model that integrates citizens’ perceptions with data from the municipal Visualization and Monitoring Center.

The methodology is based on a territorial deployment across sections and neighborhoods, where participatory meetings, community assessments, and training sessions are held for residents and shopkeepers on early warning tools and prevention protocols. Through these activities, local collaboration networks are built, connecting citizens with municipal prevention officers and the Mendoza Police, strengthening direct communication and responses to risk situations.

One of the innovative aspects of this initiative is the incorporation of digital tools for information management, including georeferenced forms, statistical dashboards, and heat maps that allow alerts to be monitored, interventions to be recorded, and territorial coverage to be analyzed. This combination of community participation and data analysis improves preventive patrol planning and strengthens evidence-based decision-making.

The results achieved reflect a high level of participation and territorial impact. Through the Eyes on Alert program, 26,209 incidents were reported and 16,453 citizens were trained. The Community Alarms system covers 188 coverage zones with more than 1,000 alerts recorded, while the Neighborhood Participation program organized 86 territorial meetings.

Thanks to this initiative, trust between citizens and institutions has been strengthened, response times have improved, and a collaborative prevention network has been consolidated.

More information:
https://ciudaddemendoza.gob.ar/tramites/ojos-en-alerta-alarma-comunitaria-y-participacion-vecinal-para-la-prevencion/