Luis Romero

BastaYaPR, Inc., is an organization that advocates for victims’ rights and the reduction of violent crime in Puerto Rico. This organization was founded in 2011 by Marie and Luis Romero after their son, Julian Romero, was murdered on his 20th birthday in an effort to improve victims’ rights. 

Luis Romero used his background in telecommunications to create a free mobile phone application (app) that allows community members to anonymously send crime reports directly to law enforcement. Since 2011, the app has been downloaded by over 47,000 users and from those users the Puerto Rico police department has received over 6,800 crime tips. The latest version of the mobile app called SentiGuard is still offered at no cost to the Puerto Rican community. 

BastaYaPR also promoted two community awareness initiatives: the ‘Stop The Violence’ march with a turnout of over 30,000 people to help raise awareness of the high crime rate in Puerto Rico and a Basta Ya Secure Zone in Caguas, where businesses, community members, and police come together to create a safe environment conducive to community enjoyment of public spaces. 

Additionally, BastaYaPR worked with the U.S. Coast Guard and Optivon, Luis Romero’s telecommunications company, to create the U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety mobile app which recreational boaters can use to review regulations, report suspicious activity, and in the case of emergencies connect to the closest Coast Guard search and rescue station. BastaYaPR donated this mobile app to the Coast Guard and committed to provide free product life-cycle support. 

For its efforts, BastaYaPR was awarded the Federal Bureau of Investigation Director’s Community Leadership Award in 2012.