The union Justicia Policial (Jupol) has once again criticized the Government delegate in Madrid, Francisco Martín, whom they accuse of "putting the safety" of the agents at risk due to his "lack of foresight and operational instructions" in the police deployments carried out these days due to the strike of Public Education in the Community of Madrid.
According to the union, the police deployment was insufficient and this would have caused institutional representatives of the Community of Madrid, such as the Minister of Education, Mercedes Zarzalejo, or the president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, to be forced to cancel public events or remain sheltered in buildings awaiting police reinforcements.
Jupol refers in particular to what happened on Monday during the event of President Ayuso at the Palacio de Santoña, where hundreds of protesters gathered, managing to block the main access to the building. The National Police had to intervene with charges to clear the entrance and ensure the protection of the regional leader.
In a statement, JUPOL maintains that these episodes are "consequences of a deficient and negligent management of citizen security and public order" by Francisco Martín, whom they reproach for "improvising in the face of foreseeable situations due to the lack of information, planning, and operational instructions."
"The lack of coordination and foresight prevents adequately sizing the necessary human resources and forces the agents to react when the situation has already deteriorated," they criticize from the union, which warns of how "serious" it is to reorganize the deployments "on the fly" and withdrawing personnel from other ongoing operations.
In Jupol's opinion, this mode of action diminishes the police response capacity, increases pressure on the agents, and can compromise both their physical integrity and that of the people they must protect. "Citizen security and the protection of agents and public officials are above any partisan interest," they emphasize.
From JUPOL they also remind that these situations occur a few days after Martín questioned the police action at the Complutense University of Madrid, where "very harsh images" of police charges were disseminated, for which he called for an "urgent investigation" due to a possible disproportionate use of force.
"Francisco Martín cannot publicly question the police when they intervene and, at the same time, deprive them of the information and the necessary instructions to work with guarantees. Security cannot depend on political decisions or last-minute improvisations," they insist from the union.
In this context, Jupol reiterates its request for Martín's resignation as head of the Government Delegation in Madrid and demands that these institutions once again provide prior information and operational instructions on any demonstration that may affect public order. "The National Police needs planning, resources, and clear instructions," they conclude.