In 2010 the IDB launched the “Alliance of Cities for Citizen Security”, an initiative that sets the development of municipal institutional capacity as a priority. The initiative promotes the exchange of innovative experiences and disseminates information on methods and actions that prevent and control conflict, violence and crime. The alliance was formally established in Bogotá, Colombia, on April 16, 2010 at a meeting attended by representatives from 45 Latin American cities. The delegates discussed best practices in violence prevention and identified areas of opportunity for government support for public safety. They also signed a declaration setting forth agreements on concrete actions and future steps for continuing the alliance.

Among the internationally recognized delegates to the summit were William Bratton, former chief of police of Los Angeles, New York and Boston; Orlando Leoluca, former mayor of Palermo, Italy; Fernanda Pizzi, director of the Planning Committee for the Brazil 2014 Olympics; and Germain Robles, director of the Fundación Atlético de Madrid Foundation (Spain). Also in attendance were the mayors of Bogota and other major cities of the region.

Through the initiative the IDB serves as a catalyst and organizer to bring together municipal officials with selected national research centers and international scholars to examine best practices, learn ways to apply knowledge, and engage in training opportunities.