The latest crime data released by the Jefatura Superior de Policía de Andalucía Oriental suggests that despite the recession, crime across Eastern Andalucia (Jaén, Málaga, Almería, Granada) continues to drop, with 14.06% fewer crimes being committed so far this year over 2009.
The two types of crime with the biggest drops are bag snatching (a 31% drop) and vehicle theft (22% drop).
Better police training, with better cooperation between forces, and better backup from the funcionarios are all being cited as reasons for the drop.
Granada, once known as a petty crime hotspot, is now the third most crime free province in Spain.
The Local Police of several capitals – including Seville and Granada- are on strike over proposed pay cuts.
However, instead of actually striking, they are refusing to issue standard traffic fines, except in severe cases.
Instead, they are issuing warnings, or using outdated fine books which have not been withdrawn by the townhalls (which allows the fined motorists to recurr the fine).
The protest has been called the “semana sin multa”, or Semana 0.0 by the press.
Granada police, who estimate they will have a pay cut of around 150€ per month per agent, say that Granada townhall will loose some 200,000€ of fines in a week.
Police have warned that they will continue to apply the law and will arrest or fine severe traffic offenses. But minor fines will not be issued. The number of fines being issued have dropped by around 75%. The protest is supported by the Independent Syndicate of the Local Police, their union. Elsewhere in Spain, the National Police and certain barracks of the Guardia Civil are threatening to adopt the same protest.
Motorists are “over joyed” and taking full advantadge of the stike to avoid paying in car parks / double parking, etc. I imagine traffic in Granada must currently be a nightmare….
Turre mayor has announced that the Guardia Civil station in Turre is to reopen on a full time basis with a full staff.
This is 10 years after the Turre station was downgraded to a branch office, and the officers transferred to Garrucha, although a few officers would open up the office during the day for paperwork reasons.
Local towns such as Los Gallardos and Bedar will, it seems, be switched from Vera to the new Turre branch. I shall miss the furry little face of the Vera sergeant. At least parking is easier in Turre.
Mayor Ortega (¡Pacooooo!) has confirmed that a sergeant has been appointed for the station, and that work is being carried out to reopen disused offices. The rest of the staff will be appointed within the next few weeks, and it is hoped that the station will be open by mid August. Once it is running at its full complement, there will be a dozen officers assigned to Turre. This is on top of the six local police officers (Paco hired four of them).
For some reason, Paco is quoted as saying that “it is still not enough, you can never have enough officers”. Hmm. 12 Gc + 6 LP= 18 officers amongst 3453 inhabitants of Turre works out to one officer per 215 people. China, by comparision, seems to have about one officer per 1111 citizens (cheers, Google). Far be it from me to mutter “police state” under my breath, although Paco’s plan to blow 150K on CCTV and speed camaras up and down the main drag does seem to indicate he’s been to London recently.
No news on whether SEPRONA, the environmental police who currently work out of Garrucha (Vera gets the traffic police), will have a branch there.
A new information sign to the GC station was erected this week at the top of the high street, I was interested to note.
The Guardia Civil have announced that they will be reducing planned traffic controls, mainly breathlyser and drug tests, in an effort to reduce costs, after pressure from the Ministry of the Interior about their fuel bill.
Officers have also been asked to send sms instead of calling on mobiles. The soon to be announced rise in IVA is to blame, it seems. Gas guzzling 4×4′s are also to be reduced.
Finally, Mojacar´s dream of reducing police controls in the municipality have come true.
Nice to see that the Guardia still don’t faff around when it comes to identifying “race” of people. Black, Arab, Gypsy, Teutonic… all those dodgy swines are there, ready to be ticked off. (No white, I notice).
Devil of a lot of Guardia Civil around. Just saw a convoy of 15 brand new 4×4′s racing down the motorway, and there’s a police stop between Los Gallardos & Vera.
Did they spot someone drink driving, or has someone escaped from Almería prision?
While browsing www.guardiacivil.es (trying to find out what a big red triangle on a guardia´s shoulder means, I´m assuming it doesn´t mean he´s Jewish) I came across “Consejos para los ninos”.
Usual list for kids, don´t accept sweets from strangers, don´t get in strangers cars, wear a seatbelt… and yet, in a striking yellow that stands out the most, it says at the bottom “NEVER BUY ILLEGAL SOFTWARE. NEVER PIRATE SOFTWARE”.
Lots and lots and lots and lots of Guardia Civil officers on secondary roads with speed traps. So behave out there over the weekend (back to normal next week).
Or, if you fancy robbing a few houses…. just don’t do it near a secondary road and you’ll be fine.
While watching tonights intriguing interview with Luis Roldan (ex head of the Guardia Civil who made off with a substantial amount of money back in 94) on Telecinco, I noticed that as they coloured in the countries that he was supposed to have fled to, the Falkland Islands were coloured in at the same moment Argentina was. Despite being British.
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