Civil Guard Offers Barracks Repairs but Stays Silent on Extra Officers for Torrevieja

Director General Mercedes González of Spain's Civil Guard has addressed calls for more officers in Torrevieja without revealing how many additional personnel will be deployed. The Civil Guard intends to allocate around €100,000 towards refurbishing the city's barracks, though specifics on the project remain undisclosed. Mayor Eduardo Dolón has persistently advocated for increased Civil Guard presence, citing the city's swelled population during peak tourist season.

Torrevieja, with over 110,000 registered residents, anticipates a surge to 450,000 in summer, potentially even surpassing 500,000. González expects the staffing level to reach near 95% post-filling of vacant positions in September, contingent on recent recruits and trainee officers. However, the letter does not disclose the present number of officers in Torrevieja, the vacancies remaining, or the exact number of extra officers set to arrive.

The 95% staffing expectation is not novel, as the Government Sub-delegation in Alicante previously echoed similar pledges based on new recruits and filling existing vacancies. According to Deputy Government Delegate Manuel Pineda and Alicante Civil Guard commander Colonel Francisco Poyato, Torrevieja currently employs 208 Civil Guard officers, which escalates to approximately 300 when judicial police, specialist units, and trainees are factored in.

This count does not encompass the Torrevieja traffic unit or the temporary deployment of the Citizen Security Unit. The budgetary allocation for improvements to the Civil Guard barracks stands at around €100,000, yet the letter fails to specify the nature of the renovation, the start date, or whether the project has moved into the tendering phase.

Mayor Dolón previously lamented the barracks' inadequate facilities and resource scarcity, alongside a lack of officers. The council has intermittently bolstered municipal support to tackle these challenges. Dolón emphasizes Torrevieja's unique policing hurdles, citing its dispersed residential units, many of which function akin to miniature towns, susceptible to burglary and illegal habitation.

Moreover, the municipality's expansive beachfront and port, which facilitate easy access for illicit vessels, adds to the policing complexities. The Civil Guard disclosed ongoing initiatives along the Alicante coastline to curb organized and transnational crime, but no further details were given. This response unfolds amid a political debate surrounding crime in Torrevieja.

Dolón has reinvigorated his demand for reinforcements following the release of crime statistics, while Pineda asserts that offenses have declined by 9% in the latest reporting period and that Torrevieja remains a secure city. The local PSOE has echoed the call for more Civil Guard officers but urged Dolón to extend similar tenacity when advocating for enhancements in healthcare, education, and infrastructure from the Valencian Government.