Police forces to be co-ordinated through Institute for Security

Joan Collins THE Balearic Government is to create a Balearic Institute for Public Security to reduce the incidences of crime in the islands by having a better coordination of the police forces, Balearic Minister of the Interior, Jose Maria Rodriguez, revealed yesterday. He explained the objectives of the Institute, whose director will be the head of the Local Police in Palma, Joan Feliu. Rodriguez explained that the future creation of the Institute was an “object of major commitment” for the Balearic Government to make the Balearics into the “most secure autonomous region in the whole of Spain. “Insecurity is growing faster than is desirable in the Balearic Islands” he said, adding that the islands had the worst crime record, the greatest proportion of cases dismissed because of lack of evidence and, according to the Minister of Justice, the most incidences of moneylaundering gangs. “We believe that the rise in crime is due to the fact that there is a lack of sufficient coordination between the National Police, the Guardia Civil and the Local Police” said Rodriguez. Because of this, the Balearic Government has decided to create the Balearic Institute of Public Security, whose aim will be to “contribute, by means of investigation and training, to the exchange and circulation of information”. He added that this will also mean a better coordination of the police forces by means of “a documentation centre which will be Balearic, national and international”. The Minister of the Interior also said that this entity will serve as a “forum to debate the problems of public security”. The Balearic Institute for Public Security will be assigned to the Ministry of the Interior. The Institute will involve the co-operation of various administrations as well as business associations, parents associations and the official colleges of various professions. Feliu has served the city council for 17 years. Yesterday he denied that he had accepted the new post because of problems with the Local Police over the past two years. Rodriguez later held a meeting with the heads of all the Local Police forces in the Balearics, to discuss the new Institute and its mission, and steps which need to be taken to reduce the crime rate on the islands.