Legal Challenge Stalls Relaunch of Santa Cruz Police Intervention Unit

The Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council’s plan to relaunch the Police Intervention Unit (Unipol) before summer has hit a major legal roadblock. The CSIF union has filed an administrative appeal against the March 26 resolution that finalized the list of officers selected for the unit.

At the heart of the dispute is the selection process used by Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez’s administration. While the city argues that the unit is essential for increasing surveillance across local districts, the union claims the selection method violates constitutional principles of equality, merit, and ability. The CSIF argues that the scoring system relies too heavily on seniority, effectively ignoring the technical skills and specific aptitudes needed for such a specialized unit.

From an administrative perspective, the union alleges a "fraud of law." They argue that by bypassing an open selection process, the city has failed to properly assess candidates' suitability. This, they claim, unfairly blocks officers who are well-qualified but are being passed over simply because they lack seniority. The CSIF maintains that this lack of transparency undermines the standards of excellence required for public service.

This conflict highlights a common struggle in managing local security forces: the tension between prioritizing years of experience versus specific job competencies. The outcome of this appeal will be critical for the future of the Unipol, which is a central pillar of the current municipal government’s public safety strategy.