Speak Out and Denounce!

People are making great efforts in Tamarindo to make it a safe place, recover the Blue Flag, generate sustainable tourism and involve the active participation and goodwill of all citizens, tourists and visitors. The Ministry of Public Safety has appointed two groups of officers in Tamarindo: the Municipal Police and and the officers from the Police Public Force. The police presence has allowed the development of a preventive program that, certainly, controls acts threatening public safety and the intrusion into private property. The Tamarindo News is not "trying to cover the sun with one finger." Like everywhere in the world, there are problems to solve, and that keeps authorities and residents busy.

Journalist Cristian Tristan, from Repretel’s morning show Giros, and his cameraman Roberto Mendieta spent several days preparing a series of reports on Tamarindo, aiming at presenting something different from what has been spread out. They told this newspaper: "You cannot hide the fact that every place has its own problems to face; however, we see Tamarindo as a great environment to spend a nice vacation."

According to the District Chief of the Police Force in Tamarindo, Olman Lopez, "The presence of officers on the streets reduces the activity of those who live outside the law. It is very important to let citizens, whether nationals or foreigners, guests or residents, know that we need their help to clear the area of undesirable people. The only way to eliminate the action of the offenders is to report them. When people come to our offices, they are helping us identify the offenders. Formalizing these actions gives the police the basis for action, and justifies the increase in the number of officers and equipment. The major problem exists when a theft occurs to foreigners that come here on vacations for a short period; the system does not allow them to submit the complaint and monitor it as required by due process. We cannot act without a formal accusation with evidence that may justify an arrest. That information is quite useful, because it tells us what the trouble spots are and who are not acting with good intentions."Everyone can help on reducing the number of acts going against the law. We advise nothing different than what is already advised elsewhere: Do not wear jewelry or valuables, and do not carry large sums of money. Foreigners should carry a copy of their passport, not the original document. When you are at sea, someone must stay with your belongings on the beach. The idea is to limit the actions of criminals. Do not overtrust strangers.

According to López, "We often find couples in dark and lonely places performing dishonest acts and they are not even bothered with our presence. This gives offenders an opportunity to commit their acts." Students who visit the area should be informed about the unadvisable places, where they are suggested not to stay late. Security depends not only on the police; tourists must take care of themselves and of their belongings. We must report any illegal act. By doing so, the police can identify focuses of delinquency and pay close attention to them. The authorities promise confidentiality! If you do not want to do it in person at the Station, dial 911 on your phone to file the corresponding report. "The 17 officers in town do their best to promote a safe environment, but input from citizens is essential to detect hot spots and take out of circulation all of those people acting against the law,” said the police chief.