Serenos

Serenos are traditional night watchmen or guards found in several Latin American countries. They are typically employed by neighborhoods, homeowners associations, businesses, or municipal authorities to patrol streets after dark, deter crime, monitor entrances, and provide assistance to residents and visitors. Their duties can include patrolling assigned routes, signaling disturbances with a bell, whistle, or lantern, reporting incidents to police, guiding people to safe entries, and assisting during emergencies or public events.

Historically, the role emerged in the 19th and early 20th centuries as urban centers expanded and formal policing structures developed. Sereneos wore distinctive uniforms—often dark coats, wide-brimmed hats, and sometimes a cape or sash—and carried a lantern or lamp to illuminate sidewalks and scare away troublemakers. The institution varied by country and city, with some serenos acting as de facto first responders, informants, or community helpers in addition to security duties.

In contemporary times, the presence of serenos has declined in many places due to modernization, the growth of formal police forces, and the rise of private security firms and surveillance systems. However, some cities maintain sereno programs as part of municipal safety initiatives or community policing, particularly in historic districts, markets, or neighborhoods seeking a traditional layer of night-time security and assistance.

Culturally, serenos remain a familiar symbol of urban life and informal social safety nets in regional literature, film, and memory, representing the contrast between traditional street-level security and modern urban governance.