27/02/2013 00:00
TW
0

THE Balearics has received 40 new National Police men and women, the first phase of a drive to recruit 20.000 extra police across Spain. Central government sources in Palma said yesterday that of the 40 extra National Police, 30 are stationed in Palma, five in Minorca, five in Ibiza and all started work on Monday. Last year the National Police started a new recruitment drive to have an extra 20.000 on patrol by the end of next year and as more recruits are accepted, more police will be deployed to the Balearics. Central government delegate to the Balearics, Miguel Ramis, said yesterday that the 40 extra police is a “satisfactory” start to solving the region's policing problems. In Palma, 20 of the 30 new officers have been attached to the neighbourhood police patrol to assist in the crackdown on urban crime. In response to concerns aired this week about the shortfall of Guardia Civil, Ramis said yesterday that 96 per cent of Guardia Civil vacancies are now covered. The PSIB-PSOE socialist candidate for Mayor of Palma, Toni Roig, threw down the gauntlet over policing the capital yesterday, promising to a 217-strong neighbourhood police force for all the city's districts and a massive drive to clean up the city, providing he wins the election. During a visit to the Pedro Garau market, Roig called on the present council to provide a “cleaner and safer city.” United Left candidate for Mayor, Eberhard Grosske, who faired surprisingly well in the weekend opinion polls, gave residents living near the Levante Industrial Estate, assurances of extra neighbourhood police and the construction of a new juvenile detention centre if elected. Grosske also believes that more social clubs need to be set up for all age groups and open much longer hours. He said yesterday that more youth clubs open longer hours and with the support of the Balearic Association of Visual Artists which Grosske also visited yesterday, will help in the battle against juvenile crime and drug abuse. Yesterday's meeting with residents was the first of many as part of his Citizens' Initiative campaign to hear from the public what their main concerns are.