All is not well in the Local Police force in Torrox and it remains a hotbed of disputes, allegations and confrontations, a situation which has now been ongoing for the past five years.
According to the Council, there has been a breach of duty by certain officials who consistently engage in practices that are undermining the functioning of the body, despite the efforts of local government to improve conditions of service.
Allegations include prolonged periods of absence on ‘sick leave’ by a group of officers, insubordination, dereliction of duty and disobeying a superior officer. In addition, it is alleged that some officers continually call in ‘sick’ as soon as their shift is about to begin.
During the Torrox Feria in October 2010, the entire force was on ‘sick leave’ and similar situations have occurred at various other times.
It is alleged that of the 31 members of the force, 8 or 9 regularly do not turn up for work, 2 have accumulated 140 days of sick leave without suffering any serious illness and a further 5 have accumulated 70 days of sick leave.
The Mayor of Torrox, Francisco Muñoz (PSOE) has ordered an investigation into a number of officers to try and ascertain the validity and accuracy of requests for leave on medical grounds and has requested the assistance of the Labour Inspectorate and the Andalucian Health Service (SAS), an action which reportedly resulted in all but two officers reporting for duty in recent weeks.
Many of the disputes appear to be the result of personal confrontations between UPLB union members and the police chief, José Roque.
Last September, an officer was suspended from duty for two months for attending a Málaga-Barcelona football match at the Nou Camp in Barcelona during working hours. The UPLB denounced the sanction as ‘illegal’, arguing that the officer was legally using hours accredited to him as compensation for the performance of union activities carried out during his spare time.
The Police Chief is also facing a court case relating to the falsification of documents in 2009, the result of a complaint by the UPLB.
On the latest investigation by the Mayor, the UPLB (Union of Local Police and Málaga Fire Brigade) maintain that the allegations are totally groundless, completely arbitrary and are a continuation of a campaign of harassment and victimisation of its members.
The Local Police force in Torrox costs (the people of Torrox) €1.4 million per year, but the residents hardly seem to be getting value for money.