Police reportedly reinforced police stations and security across the country Wednesday in preparation for more possible FARC attacks.
Following a series of recent attacks leaving 14 policemen dead in the month of January alone, chief of police, General Jose Roberto Leon Riaño has ordered increased security, alerts and has also requested that more officers are on duty.
“We have taken preventive measures … we have made intelligence updates and reinforced personnel and, obviously, our instillations,” said the commander.
The reinforcements will be allocated to all areas of the country but especially in those parts that have a major FARC presence. Violence and kidnappings have escalated since the FARC announced the end of a two-month-long unilateral truce to end violence on January 20.
Colombia’s largest rebel group and the Colombian government are currently hashing out peace agreements in Havana, Cuba, and FARC leaders said Tuesday that despite recent violence and kidnappings, the peace talks are advancing.
National police are doing their due diligence and investigation into finding those responsible for the recent acts of violence against police.
On Tuesday, police director of Cundinamarca, Colombia, Flavio Mesa, reported that a criminal gang is said to be offering people approximately $3,000 for murdering policemen.
Police officials in the area are said to be offering a reward of approximately $8,000 for information leading to the arrest of the alleged criminal accused of providing the bounty for police.
