The Local Police HQ in a Malaga town that is guarded by a private security guard due to lack of officers

The professional union of municipal police officers in Spain (SPPME) has warned of the "disarray" in which this service is operating in the Malaga province municipality of Alhaurín de la Torre due to the "endemic" shortage of staff, especially during the summer. This means that, on most shifts, there are only two officers working. In addition, the headquarters, which close at night on occasions, are not guarded by a police officer, but by a private security guard.

This decision, "in addition to significantly damaging the image of this police force, is irresponsible". According to the SPPME, there are precedents of such stations that have been "violated". The private security guard "could find themselves in a compromising situation for which they are not qualified". A private security guard is also not competent to attend to the service's requirements.

The union also draws attention to the fact that, given the lack of human resources, both their presence on the streets and their ability to respond to alerts is deficient. The integrity of the uniformed personnel is compromised - something which is evident in the face of "the wave of robberies", acts of vandalism and incivility or"drug-trafficking in central places, such as on Avenida el Limón".

The SPPME has also highlighted technical problems, such as "literally having to carry the telephone switchboard with them" and the "impossibility" of using tools for such basic tasks as checking a driver's information.

According to municipal authorities, the lack of workforce is an "isolated" case, caused by reduced staff during the summer months due to sick leave and holidays that coincide for many. Regarding the private security guard, the town hall clarified that this already happens in other public buildings, although it specified that in the case of police facilities, "he does not assume inappropriate duties or functions and everything is done in accordance with the law". Nevertheless, the authorities pointed out that the aim is for this solution to be temporary.

At the same time, the municipal authorities are seeking to increase the number of police officers, with the creation of four posts and nine more in progress, to be incorporated at the beginning of 2026. "Aware of the growth of our municipality, we want to propose to the Ministry of the Interior the creation of a new Local Police service focused on the suburbs and rural neighbourhoods to seek authorisation and be able to grow above the replacement rate and the law of budgetary stability," they said.

As for complaints about the staffing, the town hall stated that there are new vehicles and complete individual teams. In addition, the police might soon be equipped with drones, "as a strategic tool in surveillance, search for people and event control", and electronic control devices (stun guns). The central government emphasises that the police "do not work in a centralised or improvised way" and defends the coordination work of the headquarters in accordance with "residential warnings, preventive monitoring or ongoing investigations". It also highlighted the close collaboration with the Guardia Civil "to cover as much of the area as possible".

The number of Local Police officers in Ahaurín de la Torre was the subject of political controversy in 2024, following a dozen burglaries in the Malaga province municipality. Government sub-delegate Javier Salas stated that the ratio per inhabitant was the lowest of the large municipalities in the province. The number of uniformed officers was around 30, as SPPME revealed at the time. The figure is more typical of municipalities of around 10,000 inhabitants. In other words, when compared to other places in Malaga province, with a similar census, such as Rincón de la Victoria, Antequera or Ronda, the Local Police force in Alhaurín de la Torre represented half or less.