Ponce Police Department
Encyclopedia
The Ponce Municipal Police (Spanish: Policía Municipal de Ponce) 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 May 12, 1977, known as Ley de la Policia Municipal (Municipal Police Law) creating the local police forces in each city of Puerto Rico
, and since its foundation in September 1977, it has been growing in personnel and equipment. It is the second city police force in Puerto Rico to have an Amber Alert
Task Force. It is also by far the largest Municipal Police force in Puerto Rico, surpassing that of San Juan
and all other municipalities in Puerto Rico.
. From this location, for example, the 334 city-wide security cameras are monitored. The administrative offices of the Police Commissioner are located on the third floor of the Secretaria de Deportes on Avenida Las Americas (PR-163). There are plans to centralize the municipal police at the old Plaza del Mercado de Ponce
, known as Edificio Bigas, once it is reconfigured.
, Mariani
, 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:
Athletic League, Division of Internal Affairs, and the Office of the Municipal Police Commissioner - Third floor of the Secretaría de Recreación on Avenida Las Americas
Transit and Community Units - Fullana
Digital Command Center - Former Headquarters of the Puerto Rico police on Avenida Hostos
Motorized and Rapid Response Units - Bélgica
Tourism and School Units - Parque Urbano Dora Colón Clavell
Bicycle Units - Cantera
precinct
Prevention and Domestic Violence Units - Puerto Rico Police Headquarters at Urb. Los Caobos
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 of 2011 to invest $2.4 million for the remodeling of such facilities to serve as the first consolidated headquarters of the Ponce Municipal Police.
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.
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, with jurisdiction in the entire municipality, including all 31 barrios of Ponce. It was created under law #19 of May 12, 1977, known as Ley de la Policia Municipal (Municipal Police Law) creating the local police forces in each city of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and since its foundation in September 1977, it has been growing in personnel and equipment. It is the second city police force in Puerto Rico to have an Amber Alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
Task Force. It is also by far the largest Municipal Police force in Puerto Rico, surpassing that of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
and all other municipalities in Puerto Rico.
Location
The Ponce Municipal Police does not have a centralized police headquarters building. Its operations center is co-located with the Puerto Rico Police at the Ponce Regional Police Headquarters of the Puerto Rico Police, on Avenida Hostos in Barrio Canas UrbanoCanas Urbano
Canas Urbano is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Canas Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
. From this location, for example, the 334 city-wide security cameras are monitored. The administrative offices of the Police Commissioner are located on the third floor of the Secretaria de Deportes on Avenida Las Americas (PR-163). There are plans to centralize the municipal police at the old Plaza del Mercado de Ponce
Plaza del Mercado de Ponce
The Plaza del Mercado de Ponce, or, formally, Plaza del Mercado Isabel II is a historic marketplace building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It was inaugurated in 1863 by Ponce Mayor Don Luis de Quixano. The building was designed by famed engineer Timoteo Luberza...
, known as Edificio Bigas, once it is reconfigured.
Precincts
The municipal police has precincts in La GuanchaLa Guancha Recreational and Cultural Complex
The Complejo Recreational y Cultural La Guancha is a sector located in barrio Playa in Ponce, Puerto Rico with family recreational and cultural facilities that opened on June 23, 1998. The highlight of the complex is La Guancha Boardwalk, which is flanked by a beach, an observation tower, an...
, Mariani
Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Canas Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
, Belgica
Cuarto (Ponce)
Cuarto is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Together with Primero, Segundo, Tercero, Quinto, and Sexto, Cuarto is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
, and Cantera
Sexto (Ponce)
Sexto is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Primero, Segundo, Tercero, Cuarto, and Quinto, Sexto is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
. There is also a tourist police precinct on the first underground level of the municipal parking garage at the Dora Colón Clavell Urban Park
Dora Colón Clavell Urban Park
The Parque Urbano Dora Colón Clavell is a passive park in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The park is named after the mother of ex-governor of Puerto Rico and Ponce native, Rafael Hernández Colón.-Location:...
. 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:
Athletic League, Division of Internal Affairs, and the Office of the Municipal Police Commissioner - Third floor of the Secretaría de Recreación on Avenida Las Americas
Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Canas Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
Transit and Community Units - Fullana
Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Canas Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
Digital Command Center - Former Headquarters of the Puerto Rico police on Avenida Hostos
Canas Urbano
Canas Urbano is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Machuelo Abajo, Magueyes Urbano, Portugués Urbano, and San Antón, Canas Urbano is one of the municipality's five originally rural barrios that are now also part of the urban zone of the city of Ponce...
Motorized and Rapid Response Units - Bélgica
Tercero (Ponce)
Tercero is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Together with Primero, Segundo, Cuarto, Quinto, and Sexto, Tercero is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
Tourism and School Units - Parque Urbano Dora Colón Clavell
Bicycle Units - Cantera
Sexto (Ponce)
Sexto is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Along with Primero, Segundo, Tercero, Cuarto, and Quinto, Sexto is one the municipality's six core urban barrios.-Location:...
precinct
Prevention and Domestic Violence Units - Puerto Rico Police Headquarters at Urb. Los Caobos
Bucaná
Bucaná is one of the 31 barrios of the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Together with Canas, Playa, Vayas, and Capitanejo, Bucaná is one of the municipality's five coastal barrios...
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
María Meléndez
Dr. María Eloisa Meléndez Altieri, also known as Mayita, is the current mayor of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. She was elected during the Puerto Rican general elections of 2008, becoming the first woman elected to the office in Ponce's political history...
announced plans in May of 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 force 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 BursetLuis Fortuño
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
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.