Read the Catalan version
Four hundred and fifty-five new agents join the Mossos d'Esquadra force in the metropolitan area of Barcelona to reinforce security. Almost half of them, 215 troops, will patrol in the Barcelona Police Region. After a year of training, 762 new personnel are added throughout Catalonia who are undergoing an internship period. The objective, according to the Minister of the Interior, Joan Ignasi Elena, is to strengthen proximity with citizens, with the horizon set in 2030, when the aim is to reach a workforce of 22,000.
"The commitment of this Government, from day one, involves a security model understood from proximity," says Minister Elena. “We need our police forces to be connected to the reality and needs of the people. And this inevitably involves being close, because security, in addition to guaranteeing compliance with the law, also means accompanying, protecting and serving citizens, being close to where things happen,” she adds.
Of the 762 new agent incorporations, 38.5% are women. For Councilor Joan Ignasi Elena, “it is something very relevant, because it makes it possible for our security and emergency forces to increasingly resemble our society. And this means that we have a better police force.” For its part, the average age of new police officers is around 28 years old and 43% have university or higher education.
Specifically, in the city of Barcelona, the Ciutat Vella police station is significantly reinforced with 77 new officers, followed by Horta-Guinardó with 24 officers, 20 in the 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, as well as 10 new agents in the Metropolitan Transport Security Unit.
On the other hand, both metropolitan regions are reinforced with another 240 agents. The North Metropolitan Police Region has 136 police officers, including 21 new agents from the Terrassa police station, 15 in Badalona and 10 more who join Granollers and Mataró.
By region, Vallès Occidental concentrates the bulk of the 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). In Barcelonès, 27 new agents are added, 15 in Badalona, 7 in Sant Adrià del Besòs and 5 in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. As for Vallès Oriental, security is reinforced 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 South Metropolitan Police Region, reinforcing above all the ABP of l'Hospitalet de Llobregat (21 officers), Sant Feliu de Llobregat (11), El Prat de Llobregat (10) or Martorell (9 ).
By region, 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 in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, 7 in Esplugues, 6 in Sant Boi, 4 in Cornellà, 3 in Gavà and Castelldefels, and 2 in Viladecans. In addition, there are 9 agents in Alt Penedès, 5 in Garraf and 6 new agents in the Airport Citizen Security Unit.
The Generalitat is expanding the Mossos staff ceiling throughout Catalonia through annual calls for 850 positions. The Minister of the Interior emphasizes that with the new call that came out this week, 1,700 places have been called this year. And he states “because yes, we need more agents. More presence of Mossos and Mosses is necessary throughout the territory.”
