Wireless Security System Project Expands to San Salvador's Metropolitan Area

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR — RTI International is helping to expand a wireless security system project in San Salvador’s metropolitan area. The system uses cellular wireless technology to improve the real-time collection and sharing of criminal information, with the aim of reducing crime.

The Council of Mayors of the San Salvador Metropolitan Area through its Planning Office, Tigo, RTI International and Qualcomm Incorporated, through its Wireless Reach™ initiative, has launched an expanded Seguridad Inalámbrica (Wireless Security) system in continued collaboration with the National Civilian Police, Corps of Metropolitan Agents of participating municipalities and the U.S. Government through its Agency for International Development (USAID).

Seguridad Inalámbrica uses Qualcomm 3G wireless technology to collect and share crime information, enabling several municipalities in El Salvador to analyze patterns more effectively and improve crime and violence prevention programs. During the project’s first phase, Seguridad Inalámbrica enabled real-time monitoring and analysis of crime patterns and made this vital data more accessible to the National Civilian Police, the Corps of Metropolitan Agents and the municipal government in Santa Tecla. Phase one resulted in nearly 700 report submissions and 192 personnel receiving training.

In cooperation with the Planning Office, Seguridad Inalámbrica is continuing operations in Santa Tecla and has expanded coverage to additional municipalities in the San Salvador metropolitan area. These include Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Martin and San Salvador.

As part of this effort, Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative has provided funding to RTI International to update the system, acquire equipment and services, and expand the project to additional municipalities. This funding supports project strategy, system design and development, training, implementation and management oversight. Local stakeholders have also supported this expansion through in-kind contributions.

The Planning Office is providing key communication and coordination between all participating municipalities and agencies. The enhanced system gives participants mobile and web-based applications that allow communication between organizations and the ability to map and analyze real-time crime data via advanced mobile wireless technology. In the brief time since deploying the enhanced system, more than 100 reports have been submitted and 127 people have been trained.

Following feedback from the project’s first phase in Santa Tecla, the smartphones in phase two are equipped with an enhanced, easy-to-use software application and an improved web interface. Participating law enforcement officers are being issued smartphones with the Seguridad Inalámbrica application, and use built-in GPS capabilities, camera and other features to create detailed incident reports.

“Seguridad Inalámbrica demonstrates the extraordinary benefits that 3G wireless connectivity can bring to enhance public safety,” said Carlos Sanchez, director of business development for Qualcomm Latin America. “We look forward to building on the knowledge we have gained during the first phase of the project to further expand this innovative application and system to benefit many more people in phase two.”

Seguridad Inalámbrica continues to create a foundation and system for crime mapping and intelligent city management. The system demonstrates how the applications enabled by advanced wireless technologies can turn a mobile phone into a tool for improving the implementation of more effective crime prevention measures. The Seguridad Inalámbrica project was conceived to advance crime reduction efforts and improve citizen security – to find better ways to fight crime for the people of El Salvador and elsewhere.