The Barcelona City Council continues to expand its Video Surveillance Plan with the installation of new cameras in strategic points of the city. Eleven units will be added to the Bunkers del Carmel, thirty to the Olympic Ring, nineteen to Parc de Pegaso, thirty to the Fira de Bellcaire i Fort Pienc, and also to the Passeig del Born. These spaces, which receive a large influx of people, will be integrated into the existing citizen security network.
These new authorizations, which complement phases 2 and 3 of the plan, represent a significant advance in police video surveillance of areas considered sensitive for security, coexistence, and the management of large crowds. The objective is to improve prevention and response capacity to incidents in public spaces.
Furthermore, the City Council has obtained a favorable report to install cameras in various spaces in Nou Barris, such as Parc de la Guineueta, Plaça d'Àngel Pestaña, and Plaça Roja, as well as in Plaça Universitat in the Eixample. Authorization is currently awaited to process these projects, with installation planned before 2027.
These actions are in addition to those already implemented in Phase 1, which include 26 operational cameras in Plaça de Catalunya and the Front Marítim. Work is also underway to install six cameras on the Avinguda de la Catedral and twenty more in the Plaça Reial. The first phase also includes the renovation of the 30 cameras in the City Council building and the installation of 21 new ones on Rambla del Raval.
With the 26 cameras already active, the city currently has 186 devices. The Video Surveillance Plan aims to reach 500 new cameras distributed across 34 locations by 2027, totaling 660, to cover all districts and enhance security and prevention.
The selection of locations is based on objective criteria such as crime analysis, space vulnerability, and police indicators. The cameras serve a dual function: preventive and dissuasive, and they facilitate police investigations and evidence collection.
The entire deployment is carried out with legal guarantees and under the control of the Comissió de Control de Dispositius de Videovigilància de Catalunya, adhering to the principles of necessity, proportionality, and minimal intrusion. The system does not incorporate facial recognition or artificial intelligence, and data management follows current regulations.
The surveilled area will represent approximately 5.16% of the total public space once the four phases are completed, concentrating devices where there are proven security needs, balancing citizen protection with fundamental rights.
This initiative is part of a comprehensive security strategy combining increased police presence, technological innovation, institutional coordination, and enhanced coexistence, including the reinforcement of Guàrdia Urbana officers and the new Ordenança de Convivència.
