{
  "id": 11937830,
  "title": "Pilar Police Mark 40 Years with Tributes to Flood Volunteers and First Chief",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/pilar-police-mark-40-years-with-tributes-to-flood-volunteers-and",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-04T14:15:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Leader",
    "slug": "the-leader",
    "url": "https://theleader.info/2026/10/04/pilar-police-mark-40-years-with-tributes-to-flood-volunteers-and-first-chief/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Pilar Police celebrated their 40th anniversary with an awards ceremony honoring officers, Civil Protection volunteers, and residents who have contributed to the community's protection. Held on the feast of the force's patron saint, Saint Michael the Archangel, the event reflected on four decades of service since the police force was established in 1986, marking Pilar's transition to an independent municipality. Among the honorees were 31 police officers and seven Civil Protection volunteers who assisted communities devastated by the Valencia floods on October 29, 2024, receiving Silver Medals for Police Merit in Public Protection. The volunteers reached the affected area within 48 hours and supported operations in Massanassa and Catarroja, performing tasks such as preventing looting, clearing debris, and transporting the sick and injured. Other recipients included residents who offered off-road vehicles for flood rescues, a police officer who provided equipment training, and security guards who helped manage disturbances during the 2025 fiestas. The ceremony also honored the force's first chief, Pedro Gracia López, who received a posthumous Police Merit Cross, with the auditorium hosting the event named in his honor. Mayor José María Pérez Sánchez emphasized the shared responsibility for public safety and praised the police force's enduring commitment to Pilar de la Horadada.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}