He Government has denied that there are widespread problems in rural areas for citizens to file complaints with the State Security Forces and Bodies, in response to a question from Add in which deputies of the partner of the PSOE in the Government alluded to fear when filing such complaints because “it can cause problems in your town with the Civil Guard.” Furthermore, they wanted to know if this could “generate a falsification of crime statistics.”
“There is no type of limitation on the right to file complaints,” the Government has maintained in a written parliamentary response dated April 18, 2024.
Specifically, the Government explains that in 2023 it registered a total of 233 complaints with the State Security Forces and Bodies, 22 cases more than in 2022, due to the inability of citizens to process their complaints, mentioning the discrepancies derived from territorial jurisdiction issues and the appointment system.
“With respect to the possible falsification of data, it should be noted that the National Crime Statistics is made up of the information that is incorporated into the Crime Statistical System, with the variable being the location of the incident. which determines its attribution to a specific geographical area”specifies the Executive.
Extremely serious problem
Sumar registered a question about the degree of knowledge of the Government regarding the “increase in citizen complaints” due to the poor functioning in the processing of complaints in some Civil Guard barracks in the province of Seville.
In their writing, the Sumar deputies said that they were aware that the agents of the Security Forces do “generally an essential task and with an enviable vocation for public service”.
“We have had the opportunity to meet with agents of the National Police who have stated that the majority of citizens who come to their complaint offices from the barracks where the Civil Guard has not complied with its obligation to process complaints, When informed of the possibility of filing a complaint, they decide not to do so because they think that this could cause problems in their town with the Civil Guard,” Sumar stated in his letter, adding that “this fact is extremely serious.”
For this reason, deputies Juan Antonio Valero and Engracia Rivera asked the Government if this situation “can generate a falsification of crime statistics” or influences when it comes to “limiting the rights of citizens in rural areas.”
“This malfunction of some Civil Guard barracks could be a systemic problem, which could have, among other things, consequences of falsifying crime statistics”maintained the deputies, who regretted that there were citizens who “had to move to other locations” as they were “deprived of basic rights.”
Discrepancies with the appointment service
The Executive adds that “regardless of the presentation of the complaint in one police department or another, knowledge of the facts ensures that the information is integrated into said system“.
In its response, the Government refers to Royal Decree 207/2024 of the basic organic structure of the Ministry of the Interior to indicate that it is up to the Inspection of Personnel and Security Services (IPSS) “to carry out monitoring of the programs to improving quality in the General State Administration and, especially, that of complaints and suggestions made by citizens”.
“For the entire State Security Forces and Corps (FCSE), in 2022, 211 citizen complaints were registered and In the year 2023 there were 233, The main reasons for these complaints being the non-reception of complaints, the discrepancies arising from issues of territorial jurisdiction and the appointment system”, continues the Executive.
Without limitation to file complaints
Sumar was interested in his question about cases in the municipalities of the province of Seville of Mairena del Alcor, Lora del RÃo, Carmona and Alcalá de Guadaira. “All complaints were investigated and attention in accordance with established procedures,” the Government answers, adding that “disciplinary measures were adopted by the General Directorate of the Civil Guard.”
“There is no type of limitation on the right to file a complaint, since it can be physically filed at any police station,” adds the Government, which with regard to the aforementioned municipalities are served by three main positions that “are characterized by counting with a greater capacity for citizen attention and research”.
These main positions are attached to the Voluntary Appointment Program for non-urgent cases, which, the Government continues, “by no means nullifies the possibility of go directly to police stationsbut it allows the citizen who wishes to use a route with greater certainty and predictability regarding the hours of operation, thus facilitating the management of waiting time.”
“Thus, it is concluded that the level of appointments offered is well above their demand, which denotes that there is no saturation and the wide margin of use that citizens have at their disposal,” concludes the Government.
