El Puertito de Güímar Pushes for Local Police Office Amidst Staff Increase
With the addition of six new officers, the long-standing request for a permanent Local Police office in El Puertito de Güímar is now considered feasible to enhance safety and community services, despite ongoing legal issues concerning past overtime payments.
El Puertito de Güímar needs its own Local Police office. Residents have been asking for this for years, and now, with more officers available, it "makes more sense."
Gustavo Pérez, spokesperson for Coalición Canaria, is bringing back this idea, which he proposed in the last two years. The goal is to give the town, which is the second most densely populated area after the main town, a "permanent police presence and a functional office located in the neighborhood's community center."
The addition of six new officers to the Local Police "creates a real chance to finally get this service up and running." Until now, the police chief thought the idea was "good and beneficial for the neighborhood," but it couldn't happen "because there weren't enough officers." The force was at its lowest numbers, and it was impossible to ensure consistent local shifts in a community with many residents and visitors, according to the former mayor.
"El Puertito has been waiting for this for years, and now we have the means to make it happen," said the CC councilor, stressing that it's "possible with the increased staff." Having a permanent Local Police service in this coastal town will "improve safety, crime prevention, community relations, and how citizens are looked after."
On the 10th, three new officers officially joined the Local Police in Güímar, completing their integration into the force.
At the same event, three other officers signed contracts as trainees. They will need to finish their required training before they can start working as full-time officers.
The ceremony, led by Mayor Carmen Luisa Castro and attended by members of the ruling party, included the mayor's statement that the new officers will help "continue to strengthen the police force to ensure the safety and well-being of Güímar's residents and visitors."
It's worth noting that this police group is involved in a legal case. The Public Prosecutor's Office sued a former councilor for the area for approving overtime payments to Local Police officers, even though they knew it didn't meet legal requirements. The prosecution stated that officers were paid for overtime when they hadn't actually worked extra hours beyond their standard shifts. This issue affects "almost all the officers."