Mataró has become the first city in Catalonia to implement an artificial intelligence (AI) system for real-time public safety surveillance. The Fusus software, launched on Thursday, acts as a central control hub, processing live data from body cameras, street cameras, and drones to provide immediate, high-value information to police patrols.
Mataró's Mayor, David Bote, welcomed the system's introduction at the TecnoCampus, stating, "With this project, we incorporate technology into the protection of residents and guarantee a basic right of citizenship, which is security." He also highlighted the role of the TecnoCampus in fostering talent in Mataró, noting, "Knowledge and technology come together here to respond to the needs of citizens and businesses."
The system's implementation is a collaboration between the American company Axon and Alphanet Solutions, a leading Catalan technology company based in Mataró. "When we are able to add public-private collaboration, we achieve the goal of providing more and better public services," Bote said, expressing pride that a local company's expertise was involved. Joan Reixach, commercial director at Alphanet, said his company is "number one in collaborative police ecosystems in Spain," with 4,500 cameras installed nationwide and 260 municipalities connected to its solutions.
Laura López Aymí, Axon's sales associate in Spain, explained that Axon, known for its Taser devices and body cameras, has "evolved in the use of platforms that connect technology, information, and operability." She added that the company was founded 30 years ago "with the mission of protecting life and truth through the use of technology."
Expanding Surveillance Capabilities
The Fusus system goes beyond real-time camera surveillance. It can integrate building blueprints, allowing agents to visualise floor plans instantly and guide patrols inside structures. It also helps improve civic behaviour by allowing the installation of sound sensors in areas prone to anti-social conduct. If noise limits are exceeded, the system alerts the nearest patrol.
Temperature sensors can also be deployed to detect potential container fires, sending immediate alerts to available officers via Fusus. Pere Ferrer, former director of the Mossos d'Esquadra from 2019 to 2024, commented on the system's ability to unify disparate technologies. "The police have incorporated many layers of technology, and the time has come when they are difficult to digest due to the multiplicity of platforms or systems, but Fusus integrates it and makes the data digestible and manageable," Ferrer said.
Pilot Programme and Future Plans
The pilot programme for Fusus began on Thursday and will run for approximately three months. Its first test will be at the Fira de Mataró in about three weeks, with a major test planned for the city's main festival, Les Santes. The system is designed for both reactive incident response and proactive operational planning. Evacuation and self-protection plans for large events are already uploaded, ready to be activated through Fusus if needed.
"It is a source of pride that the pilot test is carried out in Mataró; in the future, the city will be a benchmark," Ferrer stated. The system is scalable, and while the pilot focuses on Mataró's local police, the Mossos d'Esquadra have also experimented with it, notably during the last Mobile World Congress with their 'Future Room' police coordination model.
Live Simulation Demonstrates Effectiveness
Xavier Santajuliana, superintendent of Mataró's Local Police, led a simulation to demonstrate the system's capabilities. The exercise began with a neighbour reporting an attempted robbery at a company in the Pla d'en Boet industrial estate. Upon receiving the call, a 'pin' was placed on a map at the incident location, and a description of the crime was added. The system then identified all agents and patrols within a predetermined range.
As patrols moved, Fusus displayed footage from their body cameras and public street cameras along their route. If the company provided them, the system also showed security cameras from the scene. Similarly, if the company shared building plans, control room agents could guide officers on the ground. Information from witnesses, such as a vehicle's model and colour, was immediately logged into the system.
The software then configured a search, using cameras, to trace the vehicle within a calculated timeframe. Once the vehicle and its registration plate were identified, a drone was activated to locate and follow it. The simulation concluded with the staged arrest of the suspects, who, in this scenario, resisted, prompting officers to activate their Tasers, an action also recorded by the system. "From now on, we will see the impact and usability of the system, but we are convinced that it will be of great use," Santajuliana concluded.
