The police, against the repeal of the "gag Law": "leaves us sold"

It was born with controversy and will be modified in the same way. Law 4 / 2015 on citizen Security, known in some settings as the "gag Law", will be amended at the proposal of the PSOE and Unidas Podemos government-after passing through the relevant parliamentary debate-with virtually the entire police collective against it. The officers consider that the reform leaves them "sold" and raise "rockish" situations, such as the fact that the police have to "act as taxi drivers" if, for example, an undocumented person is taken to the police station for identification. "they say we must take them back to the place where they were picked up with a police patrol. All that time and those resources used in the end are to the detriment of the safety of other citizens as we act as taxi drivers for someone who didn't have identity cards on them, "they criticize from the Unified Police Union (SUP). Officers complain that variables have been introduced without the professional opinion of those who are on the streets on a daily basis protecting the safety of all. In the previous case, up to now they had six hours in the police station to carry out the formalities; time now reduces them to two, even though they usually say'it is no longer than 30 or 40 minutes'. "it is to show that they have no idea of the police reality," criticizes Carlos Morales, spokesman for the union.

Legal uncertainty

But perhaps the most controversial change is the one concerning the recording and, above all, the dissemination of images of the agents in the exercise of their work. "it poses a risk not only to colleagues, but to their families as they can be exposed on social networks," he warns. This feeling that the government 'prejudges police work' and 'tries to put us at a crossroads' warns officers that it can be translated in the medium term in which officials doubt how to do their work. For Morales, "legal insecurity leads to agents deciding not to act in a certain way in case it will cause them problems." And that, they say, is only going to be paid by the citizen. "who protects freedoms? For a society to feel free it needs to have security and if the government does not provide the State Security Forces and Corps with tools to guarantee order, a society cannot be free, "Morales says.

Uncommunicated demonstration

Los policías, contra la derogación de la “Ley Mordaza”: “Nos deja vendidos”

Another of the issues covered by the new law is that of organizing a demonstration in a "spontaneous" manner without having to be communicated to the delegation of the Government of each province so that they can organize a police unit in accordance with the circumstances and the journey requested. "this is an attack on the freedom of other citizens," said the spokesman. In this sense, the delegation of the Government of Madrid stated yesterday that it is "premature" to make any assessment in this regard. "we are still in a very preliminary phase," they argue.

They also criticise the "loss of principle of authority" by withdrawing the principle of truthfulness that the agent has to say against an offender or by limiting the use of rubber balls and other riot control equipment when "the minimum force indispensable" is already used to repel an assault. "if we do not do so, we are faced with our Disciplinary regime and ordinary Justice." Another point, according to the 'beneficiary' agents to whom he is committing the crime, is to reduce the possession of narcotic drugs from a serious to a minor offence.

Risk to the families of agents

For their part, from the Jupol trade union, they warn of the dangerous nature of these changes. "that we can spread the images of our comrades not only attacks their privacy but also in certain areas of Spain our comrades are harassed and persecuted by part of society and this would put their families at risk as well."

The spokesman for this union, Pablo Pérez, wanted to tarnish what the use of riot control equipment implies. "if there was a material that the result of its use was the same as that obtained by rubber balls, there would be no problem in changing it, but there really is no material that exercises the same deterrent power." For Jupol it is not possible to compare Spain with Europe because, while in any country "they can put 250 police officers for a demonstration of 500 people", in Spain "for a meeting of 500 people put 15 police officers". "if we go in that inferiority and, moreover, without adequate material, in the end what may happen is that we have to regret the injuries."

The return of the undocumented to the place where he was picked up is, in Perez's opinion, absolutely rock-boulder. "if they call from a playground that they watch a gentleman lurking around and identify him, do we have to take him back to the park? It's absurd. "