Latin America. Cities in Latin America are turning their networks of surveillance cameras into tools to locate missing children. The initiative, which adds ethical artificial intelligence (AI) to the existing infrastructure, allows that when a minor registered in official databases appears on a camera, an immediate alert is generated to trained personnel.
The effort is part of Operation Freedom, a cross-border program that connects cities with verified data on missing children and standardizes how alerts are issued and addressed. By relying on cameras already installed, it avoids new construction and speeds up commissioning.
In the district of Miraflores, Peru, municipal reports indicate that the incorporation of AI analytics has reduced robberies and thefts by about 40%. The same system has already been used to recover minors. In one of the first cases, a child's photo was uploaded to the database; Weeks later, a camera identified him, the alert was issued and he was able to return to his family. The software used is IREX.
"In 2023 we set out to modernize public safety with ethical AI. Today, our existing cameras help us search for missing children in real time," said Carlos Canales Anchorena, Mayor of Miraflores. "We are proud to lead and cooperate internationally through Operation Freedom."
"It's a blessing that we finally have some of the best technology in the world – and that it's working to address a problem that everyone, everywhere, agrees to fight for," said Daniel Eborall, co-founder of Operation Freedom and global head at IREX.ai.
Those responsible stress that the system does not discriminate by nationality. "We don't ask where a child is from — Peruvian, American, it doesn't matter. If he is missing, we will look for him," said Giordano Polanco Correa, Public Security Support Specialist of the Municipality of Miraflores. In turn, Rony Eduardo Vizarreta del Río highlighted: "One of the first cases we attended was a missing child... The system detected it in one of the city's cameras. It saves lives."
For Hugo Andrés Caballero Rojas, also a member of the municipal team, the experience represents "a source of pride," since the database includes both cases from Peru and the United States.
How it works
The competent authority registers a verified case of a missing minor.
City cameras continue to monitor public spaces.
If the AI identifies a possible match, an alert is generated that validates trained personnel, before notifying the police.
With this model, Latin American cities transform urban infrastructure into a resource for families, turning everyday cameras into a beacon of hope.
