Tourist police on duty now in some Majorcan resorts

Joan Collins TOURIST police will begin their duties in the Balearics' busiest tourist resorts one month earlier than expected as a result of an agreement signed yesterday with the Balearic Ministry of the Interior which is subsidising the cost of the special tourist police operation. According to local authority chiefs in Palma, Calvia, Llucmajor on Majorca and Sant Antoni on Ibiza, some of the tourist police have even been operating since the beginning of April because of the unusually busy Easter period. These officers are mostly those who were performing this duty last year and therefore have the relevant experience. The tourist police has a total of 277 officers who will be distributed over 57 towns from May 1. The number of officers performing this duty this year is 77 more than last year and, in addition to this, they have been given a longer training course with some being armed this summer and all able to speak basic English and German. The training course for the officers on duty this season was of 800 hours, as opposed to the 300 hours training which they received last year. This preparation course is run by the Balearic School of Public Administration (EBAP). l Of the 277 officers, 197 will take up their duties in 43 towns on Majorca. This number is 49 more than in 2005. l Minorca will get 32 of these officers, 12 more than 2005. l 48 will be sent to six towns on Ibiza and Formentera, which is 16 more than last year.