Mijas Council has received authorisation to increase the number of plain clothes officers in the municipality and as a result, another 29 such officers will now be patrolling the streets.
The plain clothes officers are mainly used for patrols near schools and colleges to detect the sale of drugs and to enforce municipal ordinances, such as those relating to cleaning up after animals.
Of 50 sanctions issued to dog owners whose pets fouled the public streets, the vast majority were handed out by plain clothes officers.