The expansion of the Canary Islands General Police Corps to the non-capital islands, initially slated for this year, is encountering significant obstacles. The Executive's intention was to commence deployment in Lanzarote and La Gomera, with further plans for Fuerteventura and La Palma, but various setbacks have slowed the process.
One of the primary difficulties is logistical. The establishment of headquarters on these islands relies on collaboration between the Directorate General of Security, local councils, and island cabildos, who must provide and adapt facilities to serve as insular police stations. For instance, in Lanzarote, a location in Arrecife has been identified, in Fuerteventura in the municipality of Pájara, and in La Gomera, an agreement has been reached with the Cabildo. In La Palma, the station was planned for Los Llanos de Aridane.
The Executive had anticipated that the 141 officers from the latest competitive examinations would join this year for deployment. However, these candidates have not yet completed their academy training, a process expected to last until at least summer. Adding to this, several hundred candidates have filed complaints with the Prosecutor's Office regarding alleged irregularities in the selection process.
The competition rules were not respected and were manipulated to benefit third parties.
Union representatives for the force have warned that an adverse judicial decision could halt the swearing-in of new officers, further delaying deployment. The complaints, which include alleged crimes of prevarication and influence peddling, have even reached the Parliament. The Autonomous Executive has confirmed it will participate in the proceedings if a court opens a criminal case.
Meanwhile, the Autonomous Police has taken over the responsibility for transferring minors with judicial measures between islands, a task previously handled by state security forces. This new duty, stemming from a political dispute between the Government Delegation and the Directorate General of Security, requires allocating personnel to this mission. According to union representatives, this makes proper deployment to non-capital islands difficult without a real increase in staff.
The President of the Government, Fernando Clavijo, stated during the state of the nationality debate in March that the Canary Islands General Police Corps would have 600 officers and detachments on all non-capital islands by the end of the legislature. This goal, which would quadruple the initial figure of 150 officers, aims to fulfill a commitment made in 2023, with the first deployments expected in the election year of 2027.
