A critical shortage of officers within the Alicante Local Police force has prompted the SEP-CV trade union to submit a formal letter to the City Council, demanding immediate action to reinforce staffing levels. The document, presented on Tuesday 21st July, stresses that the ongoing lack of personnel is severely impacting daily operations, risking officer safety, and compromising the quality of service provided to local residents.
According to the union, numerous shifts are currently operating with far fewer units than required to properly serve a city the size of Alicante. This persistent shortage forces officers to respond to incidents without adequate backup, increasing the personal risks they face while on duty. The union warns that the lack of resources is already causing significant delays when responding to emergencies, security issues, and general citizen requests.
The situation is particularly acute on Alicante’s beaches, where the trade union argues that police presence fails to match the high influx of visitors and the volume of recorded incidents, especially during peak periods. SEP-CV emphasised that this is not an isolated problem, as staffing deficits have been highlighted repeatedly over time. Rather than being resolved, the union maintains that the situation has progressively worsened.
In response, the union is urging the City Council to take concrete measures to increase officer numbers. Suggestions include fully exhausting current candidate pools, establishing new recruitment pipelines, and applying necessary organisational changes to restore operational capacity. The union firmly rejects any financial arguments against these actions, stating that any budget savings achieved through understaffing come at the expense of an essential public service, placing extra burden and danger on remaining personnel.
Furthermore, the document warns that public authorities must proactively manage risks rather than merely reacting once a serious incident takes place. Continuing with the current arrangements, the union argues, means accepting unnecessary risks that no public representative should tolerate. SEP-CV is requesting that the City Council provide clear details regarding the specific actions it plans to take, the number of new officers to be recruited, and an exact timeline for implementation, insisting that immediate decisions are required before a major safety incident occurs.
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