Palma Mallorca: Neighbourhood police returning to the streets

Neighbourhood police are returning in Palma, Mallorca

Neighbourhood police, the "face" of Palma town hall.

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma20/02/2021 14:29

Neighbourhood police officers are beginning to reappear on the streets of Palma, the town hall having revived the role of these officers. One of them is Gaspar Moll, who has 33 years police experience and is already well known by residents in the neighbourhood that he will be patrolling - El Vivero.

Last week, he was accompanied by the chief of police, José Luis Carque, and the councillor for public safety, Joana Maria Adrover. The councillor explained that there are 55 police zones in the city and that each one now has neighbourhood officers assigned to them. These officers will be presented to residents' associations next month, and "they will be our direct messenger and the face of the town hall for the citizens".

Carque says that the reintroduction of these officers was in response to calls from the public. "Neighbourhood policing is now ensured", there having been several months of work assessing needs with residents' representatives. Some of the officers, like Gaspar Moll, are veterans, but 46 are new recruits to the force.

Officer Moll observes that he isn't noticing much by way of trouble in the neighbourhood. "The people are resigned to the pandemic and the bars are closed." The president of the residents' association, Rafel García, says that the chief problems are vandalism and speeding, even though El Vivero is a 30 km/h zone.