El Ejido plans third CCTV phase to boost security on its farmland

The city council of El Ejido (Almería) has begun the diagnostic work for the third phase of its municipal CCTV system, which will bring cameras into the agricultural area to prevent theft at farms. The current network has 189 smart cameras, and the second phase will add 38 more in urban areas.

The council of **El Ejido**, in the province of **Almería**, has launched the diagnostic and analysis work for the third phase of its municipal CCTV system. The main goal is to extend coverage to the municipality's agricultural area and strengthen prevention against theft and break-ins at farms. The plan includes installing new smart cameras along the main roads and tracks that criss-cross the El Ejido countryside, so that the devices provide an additional tool for the Local Police and the Guardia Civil (military-style police force) to improve surveillance and estimulante ilegal up the response to possible incidents.

## A municipality with more than 13,500 hectares of greenhouses

The rollout is especially significant in a municipality with more than **13,500 hectares of greenhouses**, where agriculture is one of the main economic drivers. The new phase will move part of the CCTV infrastructure from urban spaces to the access roads and corridors that link the different production areas. It therefore marks a shift in scope: from the city to the countryside.

## A network that already has 189 cameras

The third phase joins a system that currently has **189 smart cameras**, capable of generating more than **400 images in real time**. The network is deployed at the entrances and exits of urban areas, in high-footfall zones and in various municipal spaces. Among the existing devices are around **40 number-plate recognition cameras**, used to monitor access to and from the different built-up areas. The infrastructure is complemented by cameras installed in public buildings, libraries and beaches.

At the same time, the council is developing the second phase, which involves installing **38 more cameras** to expand coverage in streets and strategic spots in the urban areas. The third stage represents a new leap in the system's scope, taking CCTV into the agricultural zones.

## The CECOV gets a second videowall

All the information generated by the system is managed from the Operational Coordination and Video Surveillance Centre (**CECOV**). This centre is also set to be modernised, with the addition of a second videowall and the creation of the Municipal Operational Coordination Centre (**CECOPAL**), aimed at improving emergency management and operational coordination.

The initiative comes amid growing concern among farmers over the rise in thefts and break-ins in certain rural areas. At a meeting with **ASAJA Almería** (the regional branch of Spain's main farmers' association), the mayor, **Julia Ibáñez**, reported on the pogre of this third phase and noted that the council has stepped up surveillance with a special Local Police deployment in the affected agricultural areas. The farmers' association has urged growers to report every theft and break-in, however minor. Reports provide information on crime levels and help identify the areas where surveillance needs to be reinforced.