Torrevieja To Increase Number Of Policia Local Officers Recruited

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Torrevieja expands to 63 the number of places in the Local Police entrance exams to reach 200 officers by the beginning of 2027

The governing team has agreed to the decision with the unions when the selection process is already in its final phase of correcting practical tests, and now 63 positions will be filled compared to the initial 44.

The Torrevieja City Council will increase the number of Local Police positions from 44 to 63 in the ongoing selection process to fill officer vacancies, incorporating the public employment offers for 2025 and 2026. The process is now in its final phase, with the correction of practical tests for the 200 applicants. The City Council anticipates starting 2027 with approximately 180 officers. These will be joined by the commanders of the various ranks, for whom selection processes are underway, according to the PP (People's Party) governing team, with 30 positions available. If the municipal forecasts are met — which union sources consulted by INFORMACIÓN consider overly optimistic — the force could reach around 200 members, including officers and commanders. Even if these forecasts are not met, they will at least approach that target.

Agreement

The Civil Service Committee approved on Tuesday the incorporation of positions corresponding to the 2025 and 2026 public employment offers into those already announced for 2023 and 2024. Of the 63 positions, 45 will be open to the public and 18 will be for internal transfers. This expansion will allow for the addition of 19 more positions than initially planned. The selection process is in its final phase. Candidates have already completed the final practical exam, and only the medical examinations prior to the appointment of those who pass the competitive examination as trainee civil servants remain to be completed.

The City Council expects to finalize the process in the coming months and begin 2027 with a staff of approximately 180 rank-and-file Local Police officers, in addition to their command staff. Officers on open duty will be required to complete the IVASPE training course, so their positions will need to be filled during that period through the City Council's open job pool for the Local Police.

The addition of officers from the basic rank will coincide with the selection processes that the City Council has underway to fill 30 command positions in the categories of officer, inspector, superintendent, and commissioner. Of these latter processes, only the officer selection process is progressing, which will allow that rank to be expanded from five to seven officers. The selection processes for inspector, superintendent, and commissioner are not expected to begin immediately.

Limitations and decisions

With both recruitment processes, and depending on the number of positions ultimately filled, the force could reach approximately 200 officers and commanders. Achieving this staffing level has been a goal of the PP (People's Party) governing team for over six years, as it corresponds to the standard size for a city of around one hundred thousand registered inhabitants, where the Local Police are fully committed, even though it is not part of their primary responsibility, to supporting the security work carried out by the contingent of Civil Guard officers from the main station in Torrevieja. During the current term, thanks to the central government's more flexible criteria for filling public sector positions, the City Council has been able to complete almost all of the selection processes. Furthermore, 40 temporary officers have been granted permanent positions.

For over a decade, the replacement rate only allowed for filling vacancies due to retirement or death. This limitation was compounded by a growing percentage of officers who, due to their age, could only perform their duties in administrative roles or guarding municipal buildings. Finally, there was a high rate of sick leave, between 10 and 15% of the total staff. In 2019, the force reached its lowest point: around 135 officers, including command staff. It now stands at approximately 180, including the command staff.

Another measure helping to alleviate the staffing shortage, which has been a structural issue since almost 2012, has been the deployment of some twenty traffic officers. These officers are supporting traffic control and enforcement of traffic regulations, including issuing citations. They will also assist the Local Police in controlling access to schools starting next school year. These officers won their temporary four-year positions through a competitive selection process.

Factors

Reaching or exceeding the two hundred officer mark doesn't depend solely on the availability of positions. Transfers, which are filled by officers currently working in other municipalities, must be attractive due to incentives and overall appeal. Furthermore, changes in regional regulations no longer reserve a leave of absence for those wishing to fill a transfer position elsewhere.

The City Council is also working on creating new positions for upcoming public employment offers, although at the moment it has not specified the number or the deadlines for announcing them.

The Councillor for Personnel and Internal Affairs, María José Ruiz , indicated that the expansion aims to meet the staffing needs of the Local Police. The municipal government also highlighted the coordination between the Personnel and Police departments, the latter headed by Federico Alarcón, in carrying out the various selection processes.