María Antonieta Guillén at the inauguration of the International Seminar on Community Policing

The aim of the two day seminar was to share the experiences of community policing by establishing triangular cooperation between Japan, Brazil and Honduras. The seminar included high police commanders of the nations of the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Police of Sao Paulo, Brazil, officials from the Ministry of Security, and other notable participants.

The Minister of the Presidency, María Antonieta Guillén expressed that the meeting about public safety is not limited by borders, as it affects everyone, because citizenship is the victim. She said the fact that a city as large as San Paulo, Brazil, has taken on the Japanese model, encourages her that each of the countries have something to offer which can make the program work for Honduras. She emphasized the interest of the government is to continue supporting the Security Minister and Police Chief, in order to change the current situation, with the support of Hondurans.

Security Minister Pompey Bonilla, said that with their participation, the government is reiterating its commitment to support the Regional Security Strategy for Central America. He added that only with a police force respectful of human rights, and allied with the community, will there be comprehensive citizen security. He noted that President Porfirio Lobo Sosa has committed to the people, to involve all members of the police in assuming responsibility, and to take on this historic challenge to be facilitators and implementers of the process of change within the police force.

The Security Minister thanked the governments of Japan and Brazil for sharing a comprehensive and multisectoral effort, as well as JICA, who has managed to bring the Koban model practice to Honduras. In the Koban model, a group of three officers directly serve a community within a 2.2 km perimeter, in order to increase the interaction between police and neighbors. Bonilla said both Japan and Brazil have provided support in monitoring and evaluating the model to be brought to reality in Honduras, initially to río Blanco in San Pedro Sula, and la Flor del campo in Tegucigalpa.

The official said that as of December 15th, the neighborhood of La Granja (the farm) in Comayagüela, will establish community policing, and follow its rules and defined actions, in order to keep a promise to the people for better security, respect, and to let the people live in peace. The agenda includes visits to community policing stations operating under the Japanese Koban model located in the neighborhoods of Flor del Campo, La Joya, and La Alemán, in order to listen to the voice of the beneficiaries and hear the results.