120 new bobbies on the beat in Palma

Palma’s police force is, from Monday, going to have a special 120-strong force dedicated to community and neighbourhood policing. The new force and its tasks were outlined yesterday during a joint presentation by the mayor of Palma, Antoni Noguera, and the councillor for public safety, Angelica Pastor. The new force is going to be responsible for ten new zones, and an average of eight police officers will be assigned to each zone.

The mayor said that neighbourhood and community policing is vital to a safe and civic society. “It provides local residents with easy and immediate access to a member of the security forces in the event of an incident while also increasing the sense of security and safety on the streets.” Pastor said that by reviving the community police model, the security services will be better equipped and more efficient when it comes to responding to incidents.

Each of the zones, many of which are the most troublesome in the city, such as Son Gotleu, Pere Garau, Son Roca or Son Contoner, will have between six and 17 neighbourhood officers assigned to their fields of operation. The neighbourhood force will have the back-up and support of 50 extra officers in the event of a major incident. These support units are called RM or Motorised Reinforcement. The neighbourhood police will also be working in close cooperation with resident and business associations in an attempt to resolve minor everyday problems and create a greater flow of information and confidence between the neighbourhood and the police, something which some sources feel has broken down over recent years.

From Monday, the community officers will be making their new presence on the beat while also explaining their new role to local residents and that they can be contacted at any time. Each zone will also have a dedicated website that local residents can consult or contact while anyone needing police assistance can always call 092.