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Four hundred and fifty-five new officers are joining the Mossos d'Esquadra body in the metropolitan area of Barcelona to strengthen security. Almost half of these, 215 officers, will patrol the Barcelona Police Region. After a year of training, there are 762 new employees throughout Catalonia who are in a training period. The aim, according to the Minister of the Interior, Joan Ignasi Elena, is to strengthen the proximity with the public, with the horizon set in the year 2030, when it is intended to reach a workforce of 22,000 employees.
"This Government's bet, from the first day, has been for a security model understood from the point of view of proximity," says Councilor Elena. "We need our police forces to be connected to reality and the needs of the people. And this inevitably happens by being close to it, because security, in addition to guaranteeing compliance with the law, is also to accompany, protect and serve the public, being close to where things are happening", he adds.
Of the 762 new additions of agents, 38.5% are women. For councilor Joan Ignasi Elena, "it is a very relevant fact, because it makes it possible for our security and emergency services to resemble our society more and more. And that means we have a better police force." On the other hand, the average age of the new police officers is around 28 years old and 43% have university degrees or higher.
Specifically, in the city of Barcelona, the Ciutat Vella police station has been significantly strengthened with 77 new officers, followed by Horta-Guinardó with 24 officers, 20 in Eixample and 19 in Sant Martí. There are also 17 new agents in Sants-Montjuïc, 15 in Nou Barris, 10 in Les Corts and Sant Andreu, 8 in Gràcia, 5 in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, and more than 10 new agents in the Metropolitan Transport Security Unit .
On the other hand, the two metropolitan regions are being reinforced with 240 more agents. The North Metropolitan Police Region has 136 police officers, with the 21 new officers from the Terrassa police station, 15 in Badalona and 10 more joining Granollers and Mataró standing out.
By region, Vallès Occidental concentrates the bulk of new additions with 65 agents (21 in Terrassa, 9 in Cerdanyola del Vallès and Barberà del Vallès, 8 in Sabadell, 7 in Sant Cugat del Vallès, 4 in Ripollet, 3 in Montcada and Reixac and Santa Perpètua de Mogoda and one in Rubí). 27 new agents join Barcelonès, 15 in Badalona, 7 in Sant Adrià del Besòs and 5 in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. As for Vallès Oriental, security is being strengthened with 25 agents (10 in Granollers, 7 in Mollet del Vallès, 6 in Caldes de Montbui and 2 in Sant Celoni) and the Maresme with 19 new agents (10 in Mataró, 5 in Premià de Mar, 3 in Pineda de Mar and one in Arenys de Mar).
On the other hand, 104 police officers are assigned to the Southern Metropolitan Police Region, reinforcing mainly the ABP of l'Hospitalet de Llobregat (21 officers), Sant Feliu de Llobregat (11), El Prat de Llobregat (10) or Martorell ( 9).
By county, Baix Llobregat concentrates the bulk of the new additions with 63 agents. In addition to Sant Feliu, El Prat and Martorell, 8 new agents are added to Sant Vicenç dels Horts, 7 to Esplugues, 6 to Sant Boi, 4 to Cornellà, 3 to Gavà and Castelldefels, and 2 to Viladecans. In addition, 9 agents are added to Alt Penedès, 5 to Garraf and 6 new agents to the Airport Citizen Security Unit.
The Generalitat is expanding the Mossos staffing ceiling throughout Catalonia through annual calls for 850 places. The head of Interior emphasizes that with the new call that came out just this week, 1,700 places have been called this year. And he affirms "because yes, we need more agents. We need more presence of Mossos and Mosses throughout the territory".
