The extra German police in Playa de Palma. | Jaime Morey

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The National Police has reinforced the security system in Playa de Palma with a total of six more German officers who will be distributed in shifts of two until October and will carry out “public safety work”. This was the statement made by the senior police chief in the Balearics, José Luis Santafé. He explained that the operation has been delayed this year, as it normally begins in July, due to the celebration of the European Championships and the Olympic Games in Paris.

“They are a great help and act as interlocutors with their countrymen, who behave a little better when they see them,” he said, referring to the dissuasive role played by the agents, since, as he added, “there are people who come here and do things that they would not do in their country, so when they see the uniform of the police of their country, they behave better”.

In addition, the officers will be intermediaries both in the case of perpetrators of crimes and in assisting victims, whether in translation or help, because, he said, “the language barrier means that valuable time is lost in a sexual assault or a robbery crime”. The head of the National Police Station in Playa de Palma, Javier Santos, has detailed that this special operation, agreed within the framework of the Prüm Treaty of the European Police Stations, may also be transferred to other areas when there are cruise ships in port or, if necessary, Son Sant Joan airport.

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“There are more reinforcements than ever this year in Palma”, he stressed, a situation which, he said, has led to a reduction in the crime rate thanks to the police presence and agents from the mainland and the deployment of the High Command on the islands.

The first two international agents for this August were Alexandra Borges and Falk Heinrich, from the German cities of Cologne and Frankfurt, who were satisfied on their arrival on the island.
In the case of Borges, this is her second consecutive year in Palma, and she commented that she has been received “like good friends” by her colleagues.

Regarding the situations she has dealt with, she said that there has been “nothing very bad”, but rather issues related to “drunks” or “theft from tourists”. She also said that her compatriots “are surprised” when they see them, that they are interested in their work and that “it gives them a sense of security”.

For his part, Henrich, who had lived in Ibiza between 1994 and 1997, showed that at 47 years of age he “has experience” in this type of police support. He said that they “deal with the same problems” as in his home town, where there are also leisure areas where similar situations occur.