Agents of the National Police of the Public Safety Brigade of the Higher Police Headquarters of La Rioja, in Logroño. EFE/Raquel Manzanares
In addition to monitoring compliance with the confinement measures, the National Police, the Guardia Civil and the regional and local police forces are helping to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 on the health system and protecting the most vulnerable groups
Since the beginning of the state of emergency more than 230,000 agents from all the security forces throughout Spanish territory -in addition to those belonging to private security companies- are receiving the same protocol for action from the Minister of Home Affairs, who must act in a coordinated manner to guarantee the protection of people, public places, goods and services.
Possibly the most visible function of the security forces is to enforce mobility restrictions to ensure confinement and guarantee security in public spaces such as the transport network. From the work of the Guardia Civil, which coordinates it work with the Department of Traffic (DGT) on our roads, to the thousands of national, regional and local police officers in the streets of our towns and cities. By the end of April, the National Police and the Guardia Civil had made more than 5,960,000 identifications (290,000 at border points), and inspected more than 510,000 vehicles, more than half of which were also at the borders, 94.8% of which were in compliance. But their work goes far beyond surveillance of streets, borders and infrastructure.
More than 70,000 health, food and education support services
The Guardia Civil helps an elderly woman who had fallen inside her home. Photo: Ministry of Interior
If there is one thing that the men and women of the National Police and the Guardia Civil can be especially proud of, it is that they have carried out over 70. 900 humanitarian services since 14 March: such as the transport of medicines and food to people living in remote areas; delivery of material and training in prevention and protection; checking in with elderly people living alone or in residences; transfer of patients; supporting the homeless, minors and disabled people; disinfecting facilities; loaning their health services and equipment; and launching informative campaigns for different groups and situations, such as the guide to combat fake news.
Among these actions we can include the more than 34,500 rescues and emergency attention, especially to the elderly; and they have given books and school materials to hundreds of students, so that they can continue their education at home, especially in rural areas.
Pursuing those who are illegally taking advantage of the crisis
A municipal police officer stops a vehicle at a checkpoint in Madrid’s Las Tablas district - EFE/Mariscal
The response of citizens to the crisis has been exemplary. But, as in all situations, there are those who try to take advantage of a situation for their own gain. The work of police officers in these cases has been constant as many infringements have occurred.
Cases such as the illegal marketing and sales of masks and medical equipment; breaches of confinement ranging from the purchase of bread miles from home to illegal parties in common areas; drug trafficking disguised as food distributors; the illegal sale of irregular Covid-19 tests; and the man who posed as a doctor and allegedly tried to scam health workers at a hospital in Madrid.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs Cybernetic Coordination Office, scams, credential theft by ‘fishing‘ and corrupt files are at the top of the list of most common cyber-attacks related to the coronavirus.
Reinforcement against gender-based violence during coronavirus
In addition to detecting this crime, the agents of the different forces have not stopped their constant vigilance against gender violence, a problem that has been exacerbated by confinement. In the first month of the state of emergency, the National Police and the Guardia Civil were involved in a total of 83,341 surveillance and protection incidents related to gender-based violence. These were part of the prevention and protection plans, which have been in force since 12 March, and which have increased 25% compared to the same period in 2019. In addition, with the new mobile application AlertCops - an SOS button with which women can discreetly and immediately request assistance - they have reinforced their immediate response to any possible case of gender violence.
They have been involved in all of this as well as continuing to carry out their daily police duties. Such as responding to emergency services (091), which have increased by 130% since the outbreak of the coronavirus, and they have become a fundamental point of assistance to citizens and collaboration for society as a whole. As well as their work against crime in its various forms: during these weeks, one of the most wanted DAESH members in Europe has been arrested; operations have been carried out against criminal organisations dedicated to drug trafficking; 32 sexual offenders have been arrested and 25 victims released; and 50,000 Internet domains that were allegedly involved in criminal activity have been blocked. Discreet work, that often goes on behind the scenes but without which it would be impossible to effectively combat the pandemic.
