Santa Cruz de Tenerife Revives Specialized Police Unit to Bolster Public Safety

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is set to overhaul its public safety strategy by the end of 2026. The City Council has fast-tracked the return of the Police Intervention Unit (Unipol), a specialized division of the Local Police that was previously disbanded, much to the frustration of local residents and business owners.

Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez and Public Safety Councilor Gladis de León are spearheading the project, which aims to give the city a rapid-response team capable of handling complex situations. Municipal officials are currently overseeing training at the Los Campitos facility, where officers are undergoing rigorous instruction. This training focuses on specialized skills beyond standard patrolling, including riot control, managing incidents in crowded urban areas, and preventing crime in busy districts.

The unit will not work alone. The City Council has developed a plan to integrate Unipol with the National Police and the Civil Guard. This coordination is designed to make better use of public resources, prevent overlapping duties, and ensure more effective coverage in areas identified as high-risk by government crime data.

The city is also investing in new equipment, including light armored vehicles suited for the city’s unique terrain and secure, encrypted communication systems. The goal is to restore the unit’s reputation as a top-tier intervention force in the Canary Islands.

The mayor has ordered the unit to be operational before the upcoming Christmas season to address long-standing calls for a stronger police presence in peripheral neighborhoods and nightlife districts. Beyond the tactical side, the City Council emphasizes that the unit will operate strictly within the law to deter vandalism and restore a sense of security, which has declined in recent reports. The final stages of the project will focus on equipping the officers and finalizing the unit's staffing.