Palma could be 60 police officers short next year

Next year there could be 60 less members of the Local Police in Palma. Majorcan Socialist Party (PSM) councillors said yesterday because of the city council's intentions to not replace policemen and women who are retiring, the force will shrink. The PSM fear that Palma does in fact need more police not less and that the decline in numbers contradicts the city council's aims of boosting the number of police on the beat as part of the Palma neighbourhood policing campaign. This year Palma's Local Police force has enjoyed a considerable amount of success in cracking down on petty crime and prostitution in the capital and the Playa de Palma, one of the reasons being an injection of resources and manpower. In some parts of the Playa de Palma, residents are deeply concerned for their safety and news of police numbers falling will do little to boost their confidence. The PSM yesterday urged the council to launch a recruiting drive to cover the places left vacant by retiring officers.