CALVIA COUNCIL BACKS URGENT CALLS FOR NATIONAL POLICE ON THE STREETS

CALVIA councillors yesterday voted in favour of a motion to apply to the Home Office for the urgent deployment of a National Police force to the district. Faced with rising crime, the council believes that Calvia should have a National Police station and force similar in size to municipalities of a similar size on the mainland. Calvia winter population of 40.000 balloons to 200.000 at any one time over the summer, hence the need for a National Police force, the responsibility of which it is to enforce the law in highly populated areas. The mayor of Calvia, Margarita Nájera, said yesterday that an increase in a sense of public insecurity “could affect tourism,” the pillar of the local economy. Councillor for public security, Manuel Suárez, said that 50 per cent of the tasks carried out by the Local Police are really the job of other police forces. The council will also suggest to the Home Office that while a new National Police station is set up in Calvia, officers from Palma are stationed on the beat. At yesterday's council meeting, the local authority also agreed to provide the necessary land and financial help for the construction of the police station.