Santa Cruz to Name Street After Local Police Sergeant José María Abad Pérez

Santa Cruz de Tenerife will name a street after a local police officer for the first time. The street will be named after José María Abad Pérez, known as Sergeant Abad. This honor comes after years of effort by his friends, family, colleagues, and the Local Police Veterans Association. The street, currently called Segunda Transversal Continente in Añaza, leads to the Canary Islands Police facilities.

Sergeant Abad was known for being an exemplary person, both in his work and for his kindness. Although his father was in the military and moved around, Abad was born in Santa Cruz de La Palma on June 26, 1942. He was the second of four children.

After serving as a soldier in El Sahara, he returned to the Canary Islands. By age 20, he was working as a driver. He was married to Pilar Abad Illa, his widow, and dedicated his life to his daughters and grandson.

Many remember his charisma and how he helped transform the municipal police into the Local Police of the early 21st century. He had a strong calling to be a police officer and took the exams without his father's knowledge. He started as a municipal officer on September 1, 1968, and quickly became head of the motorcycle unit. He was promoted to corporal and then to traffic sergeant. He had a deep understanding of police operations, working in areas like arms intervention, administration, lost property, logistics, and as a coordinating sergeant for operational units.

He is remembered for his unique ideas, like suggesting the police budget include funds for sausages to train dogs for the new Santa Cruz canine unit. In his early days leading the motorcycle unit, he also found money to re-shoe the horses used by the motorcyclists.

He also strongly supported and demanded respect for women when they joined the police force in June 1983. His wife, Pilar, recalls, "He always supported their joining and believed they should have access to the training and positions they wanted, just like other officers, which some found unusual back then." She remembers him as "the first to arrive at the station and the last to leave, because when he put on the uniform, everything became more intense."

Sergeant Abad lived through significant historical periods, including the end of the dictatorship, the transition to democracy, and the establishment of democracy. He always maintained open communication with mayors and council members but made it clear that the Local Police was his top priority.

In his later years, he enjoyed watching his grandson grow and would have long conversations with him, always using examples and memories. He consistently emphasized the importance of being "a good person and a man of worth."