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For the first time in a decade, Torrevieja City Council has successfully convinced the Government Sub-delegation to approve its public employment offer, paving the way for the addition of new officers to the local police force. This comes after years of struggling with a staffing level of only 135 officers, including both patrol and command personnel.
With this new structure, the city’s police force could see a substantial increase by the end of 2025, bringing the total number of officers close to 180, assuming deadlines are met and no major issues arise.
According to Personnel Councillor María José Ruiz, the approval of this program marks the “largest selective process for local police officers” that the city has ever seen.
44 New Positions Across Two Shifts
The new staffing plan includes 44 positions: 28 candidates who are not already police officers, and 16 for agents from other municipalities who are interested in transferring to Torrevieja. These positions are part of the public employment offers for 2023 and 2024.
In addition, the council has approved the internal promotion of four local police officers, along with another position for further strengthening the command structure. This is aimed at enhancing the overall service provided by the local police.
The justification for the expansion, as outlined in a report by local police commanders, includes substantial increases in population and service demand. Torrevieja’s population is equivalent to around 240,000 people throughout the year, with over 130,000 subscribers to the water service.
Other data, such as waste generation and electricity customers, further underscore the growing need for increased police personnel, especially with the new responsibilities assigned to local officers, including overseeing tourist apartments and heritage surveillance.
Current Staffing Shortage
Currently, Torrevieja’s local police force consists of just 135 officers, including both patrol officers and commanders. Of these, 29 are in “second activity” status, meaning they are not on active patrol due to age or health issues. This number has remained largely unchanged in recent years, despite the addition of 13 officers in 2024.
Reinforcements often arrive too late, only to be offset by retirements or officers leaving for positions in other municipalities offering better conditions.
Councillor María José Ruiz acknowledged the hard work of the City’s Personnel Department and the unions involved in shaping the selective processes for public officials.
She also emphasized that while the approval of the staffing plan is a positive step, the key success lies in the Government Sub-delegation validating the employment offer for 2025, without overturning it as has happened in previous years.
This time, the plan passed because the city’s need for additional officers has been clearly justified.
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