Abbreviation PMP Population 196,590 Headquarters Ponce Number of employees 421 (as of February 2012) | Formed 1977 Founded 1977 Motto Proteccion, Seguridad Legal jurisdiction Ponce | |
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Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Size 193.6 sq mi (501.44 km) | ||
The Policía Municipal de Ponce (English: Ponce Municipal Police) is the main police force for the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico, with jurisdiction in the entire municipality, including all 31 barrios of Ponce. It was created under Law #19 of 12 May 1977, known as Ley de la Guardia Municipal (Municipal Guard Law) creating the municipal police forces in each municipality of Puerto Rico, and amended via Law #45 of 22 May 1996, known as Ley de la Policia Municipal (Municipal Police Law).
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The history of the Ponce Municipal Police dates back to at least 1902 when there was already a municipal police force in the city. At the time (1902), it was the only police force serving the municipality of Ponce.
Since its re-establishment in September 1977, the Ponce Municipal Police has been growing in personnel and equipment. It is the second city police force in Puerto Rico to have an Amber Alert Task Force.
Location
The Ponce Municipal Police headquarters are located on Avenida Las Americas (PR-163) and Carretera Pampanos (PR-2R) in barrio Canas at the Secretaria de Deportes building. A new building, which used to be occupied by the Ponce regional headquarters of the Puerto Rico Police on Avenida Hostos in Barrio Canas Urbano, is currently under refurbishment to become the new headquarters of the Ponce Municipal Police. This second location currently still houses the control center of the Ponce Municipal Police which monitors the city's 334 security cameras. As of April 2012, the administrative offices of the Police Commissioner are located on the third floor of the Secretaria de Deportes on Avenida Las Americas, in barrio Canas. At one point there were also plans to headquarter the Ponce Municipal Police at the old Plaza del Mercado de Ponce, known as Edificio Bigas, once it was reconfigured, but the site may be used to headquarter only a precinct.
Precincts
The municipal police has precincts in La Guancha, Mariani (Fullana), Belgica, and Cantera. There is also a tourist police precinct on the first underground level of the municipal parking garage at the Dora Colón Clavell Urban Park. The Transit Unit works out of the Mariani precinct, while the Maritime Unit works out of the La Guancha precinct.
The location of the units is as follows:
There is also a canine unit.
Upon Puerto Rico Police for the Ponce region vacating its headquarters at the intersection of Avenida Hostos (PR-123) and Avenida Las Americas (PR-163) at the end of 2010, Ponce Mayor Mayita Meléndez announced plans in May 2011 to invest $2.4 million for the remodeling of such facilities to serve as the first consolidated headquarters of the Ponce Municipal Police.
Authority
Until recently the Ponce Municipal Police had limited powers to make arrests and carry other such police activities without coordinating with the Puerto Rico Police. This changed on July 29, 2010, when Puerto Rico governor Luis Fortuño Burset signed various orders that increased the powers of the municipal police force, including making certain types of arrests without consulting with the Puerto Rico Police. The issuance of traffic violation summonses, which had traditionally been handled by the Transit Division of the Puerto Rico Police, is also an activity that according to law may be performed by the Municipal Police as well.
Amendments made to the Puerto Rico Municipal Police Code allows them to operate as if they were agents of the Puerto Rico Police.
Police Commissioners
Following are the commissioners of the Ponce Municipal Police since the force was created in 1977.