As Compromís calls for more Local Police in Orihuela the Leader Newspaper can reveal that last Sunday, on the whole of the Orihuela Costa, the security of its 30,000 residents was in the hands of just one officer from the Policia Local.
Compromís Orihuela has said that ‘enough is enough’ as it called on the municipal government to increase the number of Local Police operating in the municipality. They have asked that the 2017 budgets include sufficient funding which is especially earmarked for this purpose.
“The city council must be able to guarantee the security of its residents, across the entire urban area, the districts and the coast,” said spokesman Martin Borislavov. He also confirmed that recently, in all of the Orihuela Costa there was just one policeman on duty, which is completely unacceptable.”
Borislavov said that “the strength of the municipal police is insufficient to cover all the territory of Orihuela. This ensures that the agents operate with extra stress because they cannot provide all the coverage and support that they want, which endangers everybody living within the municipality.
Policing in the Orihuela Municipality is in a “potentially perilous state” as poor leadership, resulting in government inaction and lethargy, lead to investigations being shelved, vulnerable victims being let down and dozens of dangerous suspects remaining at large.
In the case of the Oriolano coast the secretary of Compromis said that “during the year there are usually two police patrols, and the logical thing would be that in summer the number of agents is increased to cater for the influx of tourists into the area. But the opposite happens, because the officers know that it is going to be a much busier period they actually book their leave and go away on holiday so that when there is a greater population on the coast we have fewer policemen.”
Is it any surprise, therefore, that whilst the numbers of illegal traders and even drug sellers on the Orihuela Costa is increasing, with an overnight strength of just two officers supporting its 30,000 residents, the police are unable to cope.
In addition, Borislavov has assured that “the problem also extends to the districts. Residents of San Bartolomé have told us their concern, since they tell us that they only occasionally see policemen in the hamlet, and on the occasions that they are called to attend an incident they take an absolute age to arrive.
Compromís has said that the government must do more to ensure the security of its residents, particularly at this especially busy time. They need to ensure that the Local Police are sufficiently strengthened “to be able to adequately cover all the territory of Oriol.”
The mayor and his government team still have more work to do to ensure they are providing the level of service that this community expects and deserves. At the moment it is just one of too many areas where the general public are being let down.
