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Cancun has seen a near-constant drive to upgrade and improve policing over the past few months. This has come in many forms, including increased police patrols, increased training, and even more strict conduct requirements.
But perhaps one of the most common avenues the authorities here are taking to improve security and policing is through the widespread rollout of new technologies.
The C5 command center in Cancun, which is a central surveillance system that coordinates the security response in the city, has become integral to safety.
This use of technology has been extremely effective in protecting travelers and turning Cancun’s previously deteriorating security situation around.
With that being said, it is no surprise that law enforcement has chosen to carry on this new relationship with high-tech equipment with their latest tactic.
Eye In The Sky
The Governor of Quintana Roo, the state home to Cancun, announced recently the addition of a police drone fleet to the city’s equipment.
With training already completed in their operation, they will now be used to protect both travelers and locals in criminal, rescue, and investigative situations.
Why This Equipment Is Important
Anyone who has watched a classic episode of the Cops TV show will tell you that, for criminals, once the chopper is in the air, it’s game over.
The issue with helicopters is they are costly to fly. The fuel alone is astronomically expensive, not to mention the hefty maintenance bills. As well as that, they come under many restrictions of where and when they can be put into operation.
This is where drones excel. They can be carried in police vehicles or even a backpack and can be charged up for flight at a standard electrical outlet.
With fewer regulations due to their size and much safer ability to operate in built-up areas, coupled with the speed of deployment, officers can control a situation and receive intelligence in ways authorities could only dream of in the past.
Even when not in pursuit, the mere presence of a surveillance drone in a high-trafficked tourism hotspot can be enough to deter everything from petty thieves to organized criminals, making this high-tech addition to policing in Cancun an undeniably important asset to the constantly improving destination.
Should Travelers Be Concerned?
In the past Cancun has had a reactionary relationship to crime. It was standard for new equipment, training, or other initiative to be a direct consequence of a crime or incident that took place.
For seasoned visitors, these announcements can ring alarm bells as they once gave clues to the security situation in the city.
That has changed drastically in recent months, thanks to a completely new approach to policing by the authorities.
Now, the focus is on staying one step ahead of crime and having the technology and training in place to stop it from ever happening in the first place.
This new mantra of prevention, not reaction, is already having an effect on traveler safety. Post-pandemic Cancun fell foul of the same strange uptick in crime seen throughout the world.
But to the authorities’ credit, the destination has worked fast and made serious investments to ensure that uptick was just a blip of Cancun’s record and not a new normal.
State Wide
To travelers planning a visit to one of the many fantastic destinations close to Cancun, your safety has not been forgotten.
This new technology is being rolled out statewide and will also see use in destinations such as Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and other Riviera Maya hotspots.
Luckily for travelers, the state government of Quintana Roo has shown no intentions of playing favorites with Cancun, and traveler safety is taken just as seriously in the smaller sister destinations of this vacation powerhouse.
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