Canary Islands Expands Police Recruitment Powers to Local Municipalities

The Canary Islands government has officially expanded its delegation of police recruitment powers to additional local municipalities. This move allows these towns and cities to manage their police officer hiring processes more autonomously, including conducting examinations and selecting candidates for local police roles. The delegation aims to streamline hiring, ensure local needs are met more effectively, and reduce bureaucracy.

Recognized Municipalities

• Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
• La Gomera
• among others

This expansion accompanies a broader cooperation agreement signed in 2021, which is now being reinforced with further endorsements, ensuring municipalities can participate actively in police selection for four-year cycles.

Impact and Significance

• This development could lead to faster, more tailored police recruitment, potentially improving local police responsiveness and community safety.
• It signifies a strengthening of local government capacities in managing policing matters, which historically fell under regional control.

Legal and Administrative Context

The order, signed by the Canary Islands’ Minister of Presidency Nieves Lady Barreto, emphasizes continuity and legal clarity, including how administrative challenges to these processes will be handled.

Overall, this step reflects ongoing efforts to decentralize police administration and involve communities more directly in ensuring public security.