José María Pomares, Commissioner of the Orihuela Local Police, has criticised the city council’s decision to force his retirement, calling the arguments “nonsense” and a “mishmash.”
He said that he only learned of the decision through the press, with official notification arriving later the same day. While not surprised—he had been warned his request to remain in active service until age 67 would be rejected—he is now considering legal action.
Under Spanish public employment law, civil servants can remain in active service until 70, but this does not apply to Local Police, firefighters, or rural agents. For them, the retirement age is 65. The council argues that since Pomares has contributed more than the required 38 years and 3 months to qualify for a full pension, his retirement must proceed.
Despite this, Pomares insists he is simply asking to continue until the standard legal age of 67. He has a month to file an appeal and two months to pursue administrative litigation.
The City Council also maintains that the role’s physical demands justify the retirement age, citing public safety service studies. A similar rationale was used in Alicante to retire its police chief early.
Pomares, who has served since 1982 and was appointed commissioner in June 2023, says politics aren’t to blame—unlike in Alicante, where poor relations were cited. Orihuela’s mayor, Pepe Vegara, has publicly thanked him for his years of service, saying he is simply complying with legal and technical recommendations. Pomares is expected to be replaced by his second-in-command, Rubén Selma, following his departure on September 18.
Separately, Pomares has applied for a senior management post overseeing social services, sports, and education in Orihuela’s city administration. He is one of three candidates, but he has formally challenged the process, claiming the selection criteria are vague and arbitrary.
His appeal argues the mayor lacks authority to define and approve the recruitment process without formal delegation and that the absence of a required gender impact report breaches Valencian public service regulations.
He suspects the role may go to Isabel María Belmonte, criticising the lack of transparency and merit-based evaluation. The outcome lies with Mayor Vegara, who heads both the nominating and approving bodies—a point Pomares also finds legally questionable.
As such, Pomares finds himself at odds with mayor over both his retirement and a potential new role, raising concerns, he says, over fairness, legality, and transparency.
And already Speculation mounting over who will succeed José María Pomares, with Rubén Selma—currently serving as Superintendent (Intendente) of the Orihuela Local Police—widely regarded as the frontrunner. Selma has recently played a key role in various operations, including the coordination of officer deployments to disaster-affected areas.
With his extensive experience and established leadership within the force, Selma is seen as a strong contender to take over following Pomares’s mandatory retirement in September. However, as of now, no official confirmation has been made regarding his potential appointment.
