Torrevieja mayor Eduardo Dolón has renewed demands for a permanent increase in Guardia Civil numbers, arguing that staffing levels have remained virtually unchanged for more than a decade despite the city’s extraordinary population growth.
His comments followed claims by the Government’s representative in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, that recorded crime fell during the first months of 2026.
Dolón welcomed any reduction but said figures from a single quarter could not erase the full-year statistics for 2025 or resolve the long-standing shortage of officers.
According to Interior Ministry data, Torrevieja recorded 10,089 criminal offences in 2025, compared with 9,316 in 2024—an increase of 8.3 per cent.
“These are not figures produced by the council or a subjective assessment by the mayor,” Dolón said. “They are the Interior Ministry’s official figures for a complete year.”
He argued that comparing provisional figures from early 2026 with the annual total for 2025 mixed different periods and distracted from the central question of whether Torrevieja had enough officers.
Dolón stressed that the council’s demand was not criticism of serving Guardia Civil personnel. He praised their professionalism, dedication and coordination with the Local Police, saying the pressure under which they worked demonstrated the need for additional resources.
Torrevieja has almost 115,000 registered residents, while its population is estimated to rise to between 450,000 and 500,000 during the summer. The mayor said seasonal reinforcements were welcome but could not solve a structural staffing shortage.
“Torrevieja does not need additional officers for only a few weeks,” he said. “It needs a stable and properly staffed force that reflects its population, geographical size and intense tourism activity.”
Dolón said greater police visibility was essential to ensure residents and visitors felt safe on the city’s streets.
He contrasted the lack of permanent national reinforcements with the council’s expansion of its Local Police recruitment programme to 63 new posts. The municipality aims to have 200 active Local Police officers before the end of the current council term.
“The council is meeting its responsibilities by creating new posts and making a major financial and organisational effort,” Dolón said. “We are asking the Spanish Government to make an equivalent effort with the Guardia Civil.”
The mayor called on Pineda to take Torrevieja’s case directly to the Interior Ministry and secure a stable, long-term increase in staffing rather than relying on temporary summer deployments.
“We can debate percentages and compare different periods, but the essential question remains unanswered: does the Spanish Government believe Torrevieja has enough Guardia Civil officers?” Dolón said. “We clearly believe it does not, and we will continue demanding the reinforcement the city needs.”
