Why do we need Amigos de la Policia?

In 2008, reports of robbery and assault increased dramatically in frequency and intensity, threatening to hurt the people and reputation of the place we call home.  To battle the rise in crime, concerned citizens and business owners started Amigos de la Policia, an initiative that seeks to improve the general safety of all residents and businesses in San Juan del Sur, and deter crime from Playa Coco to Majagual. 

Societies that live in fear and suspision will never reach their full potential.  Violent crime and theft are problems as old as humanity itself.  Criminals who do not respect individuals, businesses, governments, or national boundaries will not go away on their own; we ignore them to our own detriment. 

Let’s take the time to ask ourselves a few Questions. 

Do we want to live on the defense, having our behavior determined by fear of robbery or assault?

OR

Do we want to be proactive, develop a plan, pursue, and prosecute the perpetrators of crime?  The choice is ours. 

What is Amigos de la Policia doing?

Why you should care

The reasons that we live here are varied, some of us have been here for generations, others for months or years.  Regardless of our motivations for living here, we are blessed to reside in a place of undeniable beauty that provides a peaceful lifestyle and boundless opportunity.  As San Juan del Sur becomes a more prosperous tourist attraction, it becomes a target for criminals from both inside and outside the community and we have a choice – will we be ready to combat crime or will we watch as the hard work and vision we carry with us gets tarnished by thugs and shortsighted individuals?

 

We invite you to weigh the risk of doing something and the risk of doing nothing. 

If we do nothing

 

Amigos de la Policia goes away

Less police on the streets

More theft, vandalism and violence

More fear based behavior 

Tourism decreases

Fewer lots are sold

Fewer restaurants open

Fewer hotels booked

Fewer houses built 

Fabric of social trust is damaged

If we do something

 

We will put fear in criminals

Stop fights before they become problems

Catch thieves and violent individuals

Improve the Quality of life in SJDS

Tourism will increase

More lots will sell

More restaurants will be filled

More hotels will be booked

More houses will be built

Strengthened sense of common purpose

How are we funded?

The majority of the funds received for the Amigos de la Policia initiative came from a handful of dedicated and far-sighted individuals and developers.  Amigos obtained the above accomplishments with US$ 40,000 in operating capital and a lot of hard work.  US$20,000 went to purchasing new equipment for the force.  The other US$20,000 funded police operations for 7 months; including salaries, food, and gas. 

Recently, Amigos de la Policia reassessed the means used to fund the operations of the organization and it was determined that the current model is not a sustainable long-term solution.  Crime is a concern of the entire community and any solution that does not reach out to the community is flawed.  Amigos de la Policia developed a new strategy that aims to promote wider participation among businesses and individuals. 

Realizing that different businesses have different financial situations, a series of funding categories were created that will appeal to enterprises of every type.  We will acknowledge your support in the local newspaper (Del Sur), on a billboard outside the Amigos de la Policia office and on our Website.  Further, transparency and accountability are important to us and all donors will receive monthly updates and financial statements for the organization.  Please join us as we seek to make a safer, more enjoyable place to live and visit – Help us strengthen Amigos de la Policia.

Categories for Supporting Amigos de la Policia  

Platinum - $150 per month

Gold - $100 per month

Silver - $50 per month

Bronze - $25 per month

In-kind – Variable