Policia de Turismo

The highly visible presence of the Tourist Police in Casco Viejo is largely responsible for the safety and the resulting establishment of this neighborhood as a tourist destination. Uniformed officers are a constant landmark at certain corners and sometimes calmly occupy several consecutive corners at once. Then-President Mireya Moscoso created the department in 2004 to encourage renovation and development of this historical area despite the dangerous neighborhoods just north of it. The office of this police force is just across the street from the Ministerio de Gobierno y Justicia, housed in the back portion of the Teatro Nacional. A few free magazines and maps are available in the office to assist confused visitors, as well as plenty of personnel to help out in the case of an actual problem.