Biobío Region implements new Plan FOCO security strategy

Authorities in the Biobío Region of Chile are transitioning from the ‘Plan Calles Sin Violencia’ to a new security strategy known as ‘Plan FOCO’. This new approach will target key communes, including Concepción, Talcahuano, San Pedro de la Paz, and Los Ángeles.

The shift follows critiques from the Ministry of Public Security and a diagnostic report from the Directorate of Budgets (Dipres), which identified deficiencies in the previous plan regarding targeting, coordination, and measurement. While some municipalities, such as Coronel, have valued the police coordination and investment in public spaces, others, like Concepción, expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the previous strategy failed to curb the rise in serious crimes.

The new Plan FOCO aims to concentrate efforts on homicides, the use of firearms, and violent crimes. Experts and local authorities emphasize that the success of this transition depends on improved police intelligence and technological interoperability, specifically the real-time integration of data from license plate readers and community cameras with national security and police databases.