The Ministry of the Interior, which heads Fernando Grande-Marlaska violates the Law on the Prevention of Occupational Hazards. “The vast majority of National Police officers on probation perform Citizen Security tasks without having a bulletproof vest“This poses a serious risk to their physical integrity and even their lives,” the JUPOL union denounces.
Furthermore, if you have a bulletproof vest, In many cases this is for “collective use” (regardless of the size and physical build of each one), which does not guarantee 100% safety for the agents.
In the words of the spokesperson for this union, Ibón Domínguez, it is the internal regulations of the General Directorate of Police (DGP) itself that warns of the need to “provide this type of protective material to operational agents”. For this reason, it is incomprehensible that it is precisely this governing body that “systematically fails to comply” with this rule.
A vest for each agent
“Guaranteeing the physical integrity of the police is an essential part of the work of the Ministry of the Interior, which is why not having basic safety equipment or having inadequate equipment (affected by deterioration or wear and tear from use) have a negative impact on the service and on the corporate and security image of the agents. And, consequently, on the security of all citizens,” Domínguez lamented.
For all these reasons, JUPOL emphasizes that The Administration “has the obligation to provide its agents with the necessary means for the performance of their duties. Failure to provide the work and protection equipment indicated in the Job Position Sheet entails breaching the Law on the Prevention of Occupational Risks and “putting the lives of the agents in serious danger.” Specifically, the standard establishes that it must provide the agents with “Individual Protection Equipment suitable for the performance of their duties”
In short, they claim that the attitude of the General Directorate of Police in relation to the provision of bulletproof vests is a violation of the fundamental rights of the officers.
What does the law say that Marlaska is violating?
Royal Decree 2/2006 of 16 January establishes a series of rules on the prevention of occupational risks in the activities of officials of the National Police Corps. In its article 3 on the Rights to protection against occupational risks establishes that:
1. Officials of the National Police Corps have the right to a effective protection in matters of safety and health at work.
2. The State Administration shall adopt the necessary measures aimed at guaranteeing the safety and health of the officers of the National Police Force in all aspects related to the development of professional activities, within the peculiarities that the police function entails.
Likewise, in its Article 6 on the Work Teams determines that:
1. The Administration shall adopt the necessary measures to ensure that work equipment is suitable for the tasks envisaged and, in turn, to ensure the safety and health of the officials and staff who use it. They will comply with the provisions of their specific regulations. and any existing technical and scientific recommendations for the management of such media will be taken into account.
2. The Administration will provide the officials of the National Police Corps appropriate personal protective equipment for the performance of their functions and will ensure their effective and correct use.”