Madrid to install 1,123 surveillance cameras in small towns

The Community of Madrid has announced a €17 million surveillance project to install 1,123 cameras across 142 municipalities with fewer than 20,000 residents. The initiative, part of the ‘Pueblos con Vida’ program, aims to improve road management, public safety, and the operational capacity of local police forces.

Scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027, the project will establish 564 control points, primarily at municipal entrances. The first phase will utilize automatic number plate recognition technology to monitor traffic movements and assist local police in managing incidents.

The regional government will fund the installation, maintenance, and the cloud infrastructure required for data storage. In municipalities with local police, officers will manage the data; in towns without a dedicated force, information will be integrated through the Madrid 112 Municipal Coordination Centre (CECOM). A potential second phase may expand the system to general video surveillance for crime prevention, though this would require authorization from Spain’s Ministry of the Interior.