Puerto Vallarta Intensifies Police Efforts To Protect Travelers This High Season

Last Updated 4 weeks ago

Puerto Vallarta is now fully immersed in its high season.

With thousands of tourists flocking to this destination every day, the local authorities have decided that more controls are needed. 

This is why the Puerto Vallarta government took the decision to intensify police efforts to protect travelers during the winter festivities. But what will this new measure consist of?

Doubling the efforts

It was recently announced that the Citizen Security Police Station is going to redouble its efforts on security issues in order to deter criminals from committing illegal acts, ranging from thefts to scams. 

Commissioner Rigoberto Flores Parra in coordination with the Deputy Operational Director Carlos Humberto Arce Villaseñor had decided to increase controls in some of the busiest areas of Puerto Vallarta.

In particular, the zones selected for this initiative are shopping malls and commercial areas where controls will increase to protect both tourists and vendors.

Apart from these, surveillance operations will also intensify in other zones, including El Pitillal, a traditional neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta, several beaches popular among tourists, as well as all neighborhoods of the city. 

A few safety advice

Despite the increased police efforts to protect tourists and locals, authorities recommend a few precautions that everyone should take when visiting Puerto Vallarta. 

For instance, avoid leaving valuable objects visible in the car and always pay attention when withdrawing money from ATMs. People are also advised to ask for accompanying support from an officer whenever collecting large amounts of money. 

Experts also suggest leaving windows and doors well secured before going out and always parking vehicles in illuminated places. 

Lastly, whenever tourists see something suspicious going on, they should call the 911 emergency line. By calling this number people will be able to report a person or crime. 

Is Puerto Vallarta safe? 

Considering the recent increase in controls, tourists heading to Los Cabos for the winter holidays may now be wondering whether this is a safe area. 

The truth is that report after report keeps confirming how this is one of the safest cities in the country. 

This is due to a number of reasons. The main point however is that most of the citizens inhabiting this area live out of tourism. 

If the safety levels of Puerto Vallarta were to drastically decrease, most tourists would surely decide to opt for another destination, causing a massive economic crisis for the local population. 

This is why local authorities have made it their priority to keep increasing Puerto Vallarta’s safety levels through a number of initiatives. 

For instance, just a few days ago the local government decided to increase its beach safety. Talking about these new measures, Gerardo Alonzo Castillón Andrade, The director of Civil Protection and Firefighters of the City Council, declared:

“With personnel who are constantly trained and updated on issues of prevention and attention to emergency services, Puerto Vallarta is prepared to serve the population and its visitors during (…) the December holidays.”

Of course, scams and crimes are still present in the municipality but the local government is constantly trying to warn tourists about the latest frauds while surveilling popular tourist areas as much as possible. 

But what about animals? It’s undeniable. Puerto Vallarta is the natural habitat of several dangerous species including sharks and crocodiles. However, these should not deter tourists from planning a holiday in this stunning Mexican area.  

Even though sharks are sometimes spotted in the water surrounding Puerto Vallarta, attacks on humans are incredibly rare. The same can be said for crocodiles. 

Visitors should also keep in mind that local experts are constantly patrolling and checking the most popular beaches to ensure these animals are not located close to areas where bathers tend to go.