26/04/2013 00:00
TW
0

THE Balearic ministry of the interior has assigned the first 110 officers of the new tourist police force to resorts across the islands. The force will be increased to 400 officers over the next four years. A ministry spokesman announced yesterday that 12 of the officers will be based in Palma (which includes the resorts of Can Pastilla and Playa de Palma). A further ten will go to Calvia, which takes in the popular resorts of Palma Nova, Magalluf, Paguera, Santa Ponsa and Illetas, and six each go to Pollensa in the north of the island. Four officers each will go to Alcudia, Son Servera, Llucmajor (Arenal), Manacor and Muro in Majorca, Ciutadella in Minorca and Sant Antoni and Sant Josep in Ibiza. Mahon in Minorca and the island of Formentera will have two officers each. However, this covers only 40 percent of the demands received from the town councils.
The ministry has a budget of just over one million euros for the tourist police force this year.
In assigning the posts, preference has been given to the coastal resorts, and very few officers have been assigned to the centre of the island.
The candidates selected for the posts have been receiving training.
Requisites include a knowledge of English and German.
Their duties will include providing information as well as keeping an eye out for petty crime.
They will receive their diplomas from Balearic leader Jaume Matas and minister of the interior José María Rodríguez on May 26.
The new tourist police force has been welcomed by hoteliers, who complain about rising rates of petty crime ranging from theft and muggings to con games in resort areas every summer.