Tamarindo inaugurates new Tourist Police station

Tamarindo, Guanacaste, on Friday inaugurated a Tourist Police delegation thanks to a joint effort between the Institute of Tourism (ICT) and the Ministry of Public Security (MSP).

Tourist Police are a division of the MSP dedicated to visitor safety in popular destinations.

“Tamarindo is a town highly frequented by national and foreign tourists, that is why the construction of this delegation is valuable, which will guarantee safer spaces for its inhabitants and visitors,” said the First Lady and Coordinator of the Chorotega Region, Claudia Dobles.

In a statement, the ICT said the new delegation reinforces a commitment to safety for tourists.

“The alliance and joint work of the central and local government, businessmen and the development association allows us to celebrate this achievement today,” said Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura. “It is through efforts of this nature that hope is sown and that we will be able to recover from the onslaught that the pandemic has caused.”

Michael Soto, Public Security Minister, said the delegation “reflects the interest we have so that people around us — local and foreign tourists — feel safe.”

“Having security reactivates commerce, so they enjoy more the beaches, the museums, the recreational centers,” he said.

Tamarindo is one of the Guanacaste towns with the highest incidences of reported crime, according to Voz de Guanacaste. In a 2018 story, they detailed how residents had to travel 6 km to report a crime.

Petty theft is the most common crime, since visitors often leave property unwatched while at the beach.