On Wednesday (12), participants in the Public Security Leadership Academy completed the third day of their immersion program in Medellín, Colombia. Organized by Leme in partnership with Universidad EAFIT, the program combined classes on the challenges facing Colombian public security with technical visits to the city’s emergency monitoring and response structures.

The program began with a class by Andrés Preciado, a professor at Universidad EAFIT, on the formation and activities of armed groups in Colombia. Preciado presented the transformations in the organization of drug trafficking and the peace negotiations conducted by the state with groups that have exercised or continue to exercise control over different territories across the country.

The discussion also examined Medellín’s experience, highlighting the role of social urbanism policies in bringing public authorities closer to communities historically characterized by a limited state presence. The professor then addressed surrender agreements, a legal instrument used in negotiations with members of criminal organizations to promote the dismantling of these groups.

The second morning class was led by Sergio Urán, also a professor at Universidad EAFIT. The session focused on best practices for building databases and conducting quantitative analyses in public security. Urán discussed Colombia’s progress in systematizing and disseminating information and presented analyses based on data from Medellín, including records compiled in the municipality’s homicide bulletin.

In the afternoon, the group visited the Medellín Monitoring Center. During the activity, Henry Bello, Commander of the Medellín Metropolitan Police, presented the National Police’s action plans and priorities in the municipality. His presentation addressed strategies to combat organized crime, prevent children and adolescents from becoming involved in criminal activities, and organize police efforts around priority issues such as domestic violence.

Next, Sebastián Acosta, Undersecretary of Operations at the Medellín Security Secretariat, presented measures adopted by the current municipal administration to reduce crime indicators. Among them, he highlighted the Parceros Program, aimed at preventing adolescents from becoming involved in crime, and the creation of new structures to support security operations. Acosta also explained how the municipal administration and the Police coordinate their efforts to implement these strategies.

The final activity was a visit to the Integrated Operations Center, which brings together 11 municipal agencies and receives emergency calls from across the metropolitan area. The facility uses communication technologies and real-time data analysis to identify incidents and coordinate responses.

The resources presented included the sharing of images from the mobile phone cameras of people contacting the emergency service, vehicle and license plate recognition, and monitoring of fires, large events, and demonstrations. The visit provided a practical demonstration of how coordination among different agencies, the use of technology, and information sharing can support emergency response and public security management.

The immersion continues through Friday (14), with additional classes, technical visits, and field activities.