Empowered by the national police and the city government, a municipal traffic enforcement outfit is almost ready to start operations in Cuenca.

Cuenca, Ecuador’s third largest city, will have 229 new traffic enforcement officers as soon as the members of the fledgling force are through their training program, on April 12.

The new police force will be in charge of all traffic enforcement in the city, and will be able to confiscate driver’s licenses if necessary. The national police will still be involved in vehicle registration and registration verification.

At midnight on April 15, Cuenca’s new traffic police are expected to hit the streets. They will have a fleet of 17 black and pink striped police cars, each equipped with a camera and a computer, a first in Latin America according to the chief of the newly minted force. By the end of April, they will also have 30 motorcycles and 30 bicycles for enforcement purposes.