The publication in February of the Valencia security agency law and the response to emergencies already indicated a bid to construct an integrated security system to improve on self-contained traditional frameworks (police, fire-fighters, civil protection..)[1]. Recently the Generalitat of Valencia has taken a step further towards this systematic construction in the field of policing with the passing of Law 17/2017, on 13 December, to coordinate local police forces within the community of Valencia[2]. This text introduces a range of mechanisms that try to construct a system based on existing local police forces (and in some cases includes other police forces operating in their territory).

Therefore, for example, a network of transmissions is included among the functions that integrate the competence of coordination of local police forces to connect the different local police forces and also provide access to databases concerning security developed by the Ministry of the Interior; the establishment of a mutual information system for the different local police forces; the impetus provided by such coordination and cooperation between administrations to enhance the provision of police security services in supramunicipal contexts or regarding services for municipal associations, and also the design of a local territorial security plan, are all functions intended to facilitate a systematic and coherent intervention by police forces.

Furthermore, a range of organs are foreseen in order to contribute to homogeneity and coordination, among which are the following:

a) The Valencia Institute of Security and Emergencies, which, for example, will annually organise physical and psycho technical entrance tests for local police officers, which will have a two-year validity. Those who wish to apply for vacancies for local police officers will therefore have to pass this “initial phase” which will guarantee that all candidates satisfy the same prerequisites.

b) The Security Observatory of the Community of Valencia, as a forum for debate, dissemination and study of security problems and includes not only local police officers but also the relevant unit, the National Police, the Guardia Civil and the association of criminologists.

c) The Internal Affairs Committee, the functions of which include collaborating with local police officers to monitor the legality of its agents.

d) Supramunicipal councils to coordinate local police officers.

e) Promotion of members of local police forces within other community forces which are different to theirs, in order to provide mobility by reserving vacancies.

f) An obligation for local police forces to have enough material and human resources to be authorised and made active.

g) Intermunicipal agreements to reinforce police forces that, temporarily, need it.

Finally, as noteworthy new additions, the law opts for a more even organisational structure of police forces (between 6 and 2 categories in accordance with the number of inhabitants of a municipality), enabling members of other police forces to process files (in the case of serious or very serious offences), providing a detailed regulation of a second activity and actively promoting gender equality at all levels, obliging police forces with fewer than 40% of women officers to reserve 30% of vacancies for women in future recruitment campaigns.

[1] Vid. http://notesdeseguretat.blog.gencat.cat/?s=Ag%C3%A8ncia+Valenciana+de+Seguretat

[2] Vid. http://www.dogv.gva.es/datos/2017/12/15/pdf/2017_11424.pdf

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