Forty local police officers from Torrevieja were ready to forgo their days off and lend a hand to try to alleviate the terrible situation suffered by the inhabitants of numerous municipalities around Valencia, devastated by an overwhelming DANA last Tuesday, but, for the moment, permission has not been granted.
The Chief of Police, Vicente Gutiérrez Sola, has said that they are not allowed to travel into the area as long as there is no formal request from the Generalitat for their resources. This has been confirmed by the two unions that represent the Torrevieja force.
The Councillor for Security, Federico Alarcón, said on Sunday that on Saturday a decree was issued by the Generalitat, signed by the Director General of Emergencies, Emilio Argüeso, which attempts to put some order into the coordination of police in this situation.
The councillor added that “It is unfair to say that the police are denied. We have said publicly that they were prepared, and we are ready to authorise their release, but Torrevieja will not deny them when they are requested.”
As an example, he explained that an agent cannot leave his municipal area with his firearm without prior notification and authorization from the Civil Guard.
Meanwhile, local police officers in Torrevieja have seen how colleagues from most of the neighbouring local police forces in the 27 municipalities of the Vega Baja, with experience in similar situations, DANA in 2019, have already travelled to the area without any formalities other than their own desire to go, with the support of their respective town councils.
Many Local Police officers have expressed their “impotence, indignation and shame” this Sunday at the decision of the chief commissioner. However, many have also decided to go to Valencia on their own, without the official permission of the Local Police.
Alarcón continued, “I cannot criticise what other police forces have done by taking cars and weapons and travelling. I cannot criticise those who have gone without an official request or authorisation” before the decree was issued, he said.
He also said that he hopes that the volunteer agents from Torrevieja will be able to travel to Valencia throughout this week and that the Chief of Police is in contact with those responsible for the coordination of the Generalitat to ensure they are able to do so.
