Police in place of politicians: five senior Interior officials guard the badge

BarcelonaOn May 12th of last year, during the electoral debate, the PSC candidate, Salvador Illa, had an ace up his sleeve: he announced that, if he were sworn in as president, the Minister of the Interior would be Núria Parlon, then mayor of Santa Coloma de Gramanet, and that the director of the police would be the head of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police), Josep Lluís. The predictions ultimately proved true, and Parlon was appointed head of the department, and Trapero assumed the political leadership of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police). This move, which initially generated surprise, was not the only one: with Parlon's arrival at the Interior Ministry, five senior officials also arrived who, before taking on their new positions, were police officers.

The first is Trapero, whom former minister Joan Ignasi Elena dismissed as head of the police force and who, at the time of the PSC's arrival in government, was assigned to the Services Evaluation Division. With Parlon's arrival, another important position, that of Director General of Local Police Coordination, also fell into the hands of a police officer, Daniel Limones, until then head of the Esplugues de Llobregat Local Police. Furthermore, the new director of Territorial Interior Services in Barcelona became Albert Vilatarsana, then Chief Superintendent of the Sant Boi de Llobregat Local Police, and the same directorate in Lleida was now led by Josep Ramon Ibarz, until then head of the Lleida Urban Police. The latest move has been made in the general directorate of the police by Trapero himself: Mossos d'Esquadra superintendent Andreu Domingo is the new deputy director of human resources following the resignation of the incumbent. This represents a large number of police officers that, according to several sources, had not been seen before in the Interior Ministry, and there are also several voices criticizing him because they believe there should be a separation between the police and political spheres.

"We haven't gone looking for police officers for no reason, but rather for their appropriate resumes," Núria Parlon told ARA. The regional minister explains that they deal with issues related to public safety, "a job they know intimately." She adds that they have extensive knowledge of the local world and have interacted closely with businesses, social sectors, and neighborhoods, and that this is in line with the "proximity" policy she wants to promote. "And it's already being noticed. We need people who are connected to the region, and we've chosen people who have spent years working locally," insists the Minister of the Interior. She justifies this with the cases of Lleida, Barcelona, and the Local Police Directorate, all of which have been occupied by former heads of local police forces. She also describes Trapero's selection as a "correct decision" and says she knows how to "guide the department's priorities."

For and against

Several sources who have held positions in the Ministry of the Interior are not so positive about these moves. They speak of a "police-ization of politics" after the PSC (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) accused the Interior Ministry's top brass of "politicizing the police" in recent years, particularly following the changes promoted by Elena. They insist that the operational knowledge of a police officer is not the same as that required for management. Sources from the Mossos d'Esquadra also lament that the line between the political management of the police and operational work should always be clear, and that, with these changes, it may become more blurred. "We always ask not to conflate these spaces," states one source from the force. Similarly, people who have held positions in the Interior Ministry are surprised by these changes and wonder if there is a lack of cadres among the Socialists who have a clear vision of the security policy the party wants to promote.

Limones, a graduate in prevention and comprehensive security from the University of Barcelona, ​​​​has also led the local police forces of Martorelles, Maçanet de la Selva, and Sant Fost de Campsentelles. He has also chaired the College of Criminology of Catalonia. Vilatarsana has been a professor at the Public Security Institute of Catalonia for almost thirty years and has completed several law studies. Ibarz was head of the Lleida Urban Guard since 2007, and previously commanded the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police force). In all three cases, we are talking about municipalities governed by the Socialists. Finally, Superintendent Domingo, before landing at the general directorate of the police, headed the Mossos d'Esquadra's Technical Superior Commissariat.

The police union FEPOL welcomes these changes. "It's easier to communicate; they understand the needs of a police officer better," comments spokesperson Toni Castejón, regarding the arrival of police officers in political management. He regrets that in the past they have encountered senior officials who had "zero" knowledge of how the police force works, and that "a lot of time" was always wasted until they adapted to the position and acquired sufficient knowledge of the sector. From the USPAC union, spokesperson Albert Palacio remains more neutral. While noting that in some situations these positions may be well-trained and meet the requirements, he adds that the impression that, in some cases, police officers close to retirement are being released should be avoided. At the same time, he regrets some remarks by Limones, who stated that "a police officer who walks the streets should have a university degree."