500 police officers on duty as schools re-open for new term

WITH the first day of the new school term beginning on Monday over 500 Local Police around the Balearic Islands are going to be on duty at school entrances to control traffic and make sure children are crossing the roads safely.

A spokesman for the regional Interior ministry said yesterday that special attention will be paid by officers to whether children are being properly strapped in with safety belts in private cars. Police will also be watching to see if motorcyclists are wearing the correct headgear, and if they are respecting pedestrian only areas around the schools and colleges.

On Majorca, 458 Local Police will be on the move, 34 on Minorca and 42 in Ibiza and Formentera.
In a statement, the Interior ministry said that because of police spot checks on the use of children's safety belts at school entrances during the last academic year, the number of people failing to strap youngsters in correctly has fallen.

Similar unannounced road checks on motorcycles and motorbikes last year, revealed that 15 percent of the vehicles examined had some technical fault.
The first checks of this kind were carried out as a pilot scheme in May and June of 2009 in municipalities where “police tutors” are operating. These officers form a branch of the police force which oversees safety in schools and assists staff in addressing behavioural problems such as long-term absenteeism.

The second campaign of this kind undertaken between October and November last year, covered all areas of the Balearic Islands. Motorcycle and moped riders were stopped by officers not just to see if their vehicles conformed to safety regulations but also to check whether riders had all the necessary paperwork in order.

Running concurrently to safety checks has been a campaign launched last June to encourage motor noise limitation and safer riding of motorcycles and mopeds. Local Police distributed explanatory leaflets to help students understand the reason for the controls.