Oruro is just like any other large town in South America; there are safe places that can get dangerous and dangerous places that can be safe. There are tourism scams and pickpockets, taxis that will rip you off and ones that will treat you well. In Oruro it’s all about being aware of your belongings and your surroundings. If you do that, there's no reason to be paranoid about safety in town. Should anything unfortunate occur, however, head straight to the tourism police office which is right outside the bus station. Some of the police speak English, and the station is open 24 hours a day.