New security measures in Plovdiv after the serious criminal cases. The municipality plans a system that will recognize dangerous situations in real time, as well as tightening the rules for public order.
It is proposed to limit the use of playgrounds at night, the ban on alcohol in public places remains, and control over establishments with extended working hours becomes stricter.
The concept should cover key spaces throughout the city - parks, the central part of the city, 196 stops and 74 intersections. Some of the existing municipal cameras will also be able to be connected to it.
"It includes many sensors that will provide information to the centralized system about atypical situations in certain areas, be it on roads, stops and parks and the central city area, where there is a concentration of more people and citizens of Plovdiv“, said the mayor of the city, Kostadin Dimitrov.
Unlike ordinary video surveillance, the idea is not to wait for the incident to end. The system should analyze what is happening in real time and signal in case of potential danger.
"If the system manages to catch unusual behavior in this area, which is recognized as risky, the police could receive a much earlier notification from the municipal center, which will previously receive information from the analytical system that something illegal is happening", said the deputy manager of the company that developed the concept, Georgi Kisyov.
In parallel with the technological measures, the municipality is also proposing changes to the Public Order Ordinance. Playgrounds and sports fields will not be able to be used outside their intended purpose between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM, and the ban on drinking alcohol in public places remains.
"This ban will lead to fewer incidents. Our employees will certainly have greater control. After that, the necessary measures, punishments and restrictions will be more secure", said the deputy mayor for security of Plovdiv Atanas Slavov.
A stricter regime is also planned for establishments with extended working hours, including a preliminary opinion from the regional department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In case of two violations, the permit for extended working hours will be revoked.
For their part, Plovdiv residents support the stricter control, but some of them also emphasize the responsibility of parents and the upbringing of young people.