The presence of the National Police of Peru (PNP) According to preliminary data from the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI), there is a significant decrease in the Lima metropolitan area and the constitutional province of Callao during the period May to October 2025.
Despite the declared state of emergency, citizens’ perception of police surveillance fell from 39.8% in 2024 to 31.5% in 2025. This trend is repeated in the rest of the country, where overall perception of surveillance has also decreased.
At the national urban level, the perception of police surveillance increased from 33.7% in 2024 to 28.9% in 2025. The INEI report is based on the National Survey of Budget Programs (ENAPRES), shows that the feeling of police presence is decreasing both on the coast and in the mountains and jungles. On the coast the value fell from 36.9% to 32.4%; in the Sierra from 24.6% to 19.5%; and in the jungle from 30.2% to 25.7%. The analysis shows that the decline in surveillance perception is a widespread phenomenon, particularly affecting Lima and Callao, but repeating itself throughout the country.
Juan CarbajalElectronics engineer and data analyst, shared results showing the decline of this indicator, even against the backdrop of greater investments and emergency declarations. The trend raises questions about the effectiveness of current policies and the institutional response to the increase in crime.
“He INEI-ENAPRES reveals this in its latest citizen safety report PNP surveillance in the metropolitan areas of Lima and Callao has recorded a very notable declinedespite the state of emergency,” the expert said on his social networks.
Graphic number 26 of the INEI-ENAPRES report shows that in the Lima metropolitan area and the constitutional province of Callao, citizens’ perceptions of the existence of surveillance of the National Police of Peru In the districts, it fell from 39.8% to 31.5% between May and October 2024 and the same period in 2025. This decline is due to the imposition of successive states of emergency and an intensification of police operations.
The ongoing decline in citizen awareness poses a challenge to authorities, who have prioritized police presence as the main crime control and prevention strategy. In Lima and Callao, the decline is even more significant compared to the national average, showing a growing gap between the policies implemented and the sense of security of residents of the capital and the country’s main port.
This trend may be related to the increase in crimes and homicides reported in the region, which are well above historical averages and have raised concerns among public opinion.
The decline in perceptions of police surveillance does not only affect Lima and Callao. On the coast, awareness fell from 36.9% to 32.4%; in the Sierra from 24.6% to 19.5%; and in the jungle from 30.2% to 25.7%. These results reflect an overall decline in the country’s urban areas.
In the capitals, which include 24 department capitals, such as: Arequipa, Trujillo, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Cusco, Piura, Iquitos, Tacna And fistas well as in the cities of Chimbote, Juliaca, Tarapoto, Metropolitan Lima (43 districts) and the constitutional province of Callao, perceptions of police surveillance also decreased, increasing from 34.2% to 29.3%.
The INEI points out that these data refer to the period May-October 2025 and are preliminary in nature. The scope of the measurement is national-city and shows a sustained decline in the perception of surveillance in all regions and major cities in the country.
According to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, five regions spent less than 50% of their budget on citizen security in 2025. Ucayali (6.1%) and Freedom (30%) have the lowest values, followed by Arequipa (37.3%), Tumbes (42.4%) and Cusco (47.8%).
The case of La Libertad stands out: although S/54.4 million was allocated, only 30% utilized it. This region is the second largest region with the most homicides (230 per year according to Sinadef), reflecting the gap between resources and effective spending. In contrast, Lima executed 100% of its budget even though it was only S/20,000.
This low-budget implementation is repeated in regions with allocations of less than S/500,000, limiting the state’s capacity in the face of increasing crime. Accordingly, the daily average of homicides in the country in 2025 was over six cases Juan Carbajalwho warned: “Has it decreased? No. Is it the same? It’s worse.”in statements collected by End point. More than 75% of violent deaths occurred from gunshots.
The Interior Minister, Vicente Tiburcioannounced that the interim president, Jose Jeriwill announce the National Citizen Security Plan within two weeks. The aim of the initiative is to formulate a comprehensive response to increasing crime, in a context where poor budget execution and a low sense of surveillance have weakened trust in institutions.
The minister explained that the executive actions are based on structured planning. He emphasized the continuity of operations and controls, especially for undocumented foreign citizens in Lima, Callao and the rest of the country. Vicente Tiburcio recognized: “We know that we are unsafe, we cannot deny that, but we are making every effort, not only here in Lima, Callao, but at the national level.”.
About The Author
