POLICE UNION CALLS FOR MORE OFFICERS IN THE BALEARICS

FEDERAL Police Union chiefs yesterday urgently called for more National Police officers in the Balearics, Valencia and Barcelona. Union chiefs meeting in Denia, Alicante, yesterday singled the Balearics as one of the regions where its members are coming under increasing pressure as they try to respond to a rapidly rising crime rate. The union wants to see large urban populations receive adequate policing and to do that, more police men and women have to be recruited and deployed. Palma and Calvia are lobbying Madrid heavily for more national police and yesterday the police union said that central government does not appear to appreciate the severity of the situation in certain parts of the country where crime is rising and the public no longer feels safe. Union bosses also said that Madrid is not fully aware of the implications of the floating populations in the country's key tourist destinations, such as Balearics, Barcelona and Valencia, all leading holiday hot sports for national and international holidaymakers. Police chiefs would also like to see Local Police forces given more powers while National Police resources and numbers are boosted. The roles of Local Police forces vary from region to region and National Police chiefs would like to see local forces brought in line and operating exactly the same in closer co-operation with the National Police. 8 In some cases, the lack of co-ordination and uncertainty about the exact role on the Local and National Police forces in certain cases has led to serious problems and hampered police investigations. Local Forces need to have clear and unified guidelines while the National Police need more personnel and resources.