The Unidades de Policía de Prevención Local of the Province of Buenos Aires (2014): an analysis of their conformation and main characteristics.

Abstract

The specialized literature on local governments reports the recent incorporation of public safety as a new priority in their government agendas. This was reflected in the creation of the Unidades de Policía de Prevención Local (UPPL) in 2014 in the province of Buenos Aires. However, the process of creating these units was not addressed under a municipalist approach. Under the conceptual framework of local governments and municipal police, and with a case study methodology, this article aims to contribute to the knowledge about the process of conformation of the Unidades de Policía de Prevención Local through the analysis of the main characteristics that they had and considering the processes of municipalization of public security that occurred in the province of Buenos Aires. The approach of this case will allow understanding the challenges faced by governors and mayors of the province of Buenos Aires when managing public safety at the local level. In this way, the work contributes to the field of studies on government and public security, as well as local governments.