The National Police celebrated its 200th anniversary this Saturday, January 13, with an event in Madrid’s Plaza de Colón in which the force renewed its commitment to the security of Spain in these “dizzying times.”
“The history of the Police is the uninterrupted contribution of men and women who have wanted to make Spain a better country (…), always with the same spirit of service, whose objective is to consolidate spaces of security, justice and freedom “, underlined the deputy operational director of the force, José Ángel González Jiménez, in the solemn raising of the flag of Spain in commemoration of the bicentennial, chaired by the Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez Ruiz, and the director general of the Police , Francisco Pardo Piqueras.
González has highlighted that the body has worked for these objectives “defending the law, preventing crime, opening the path to justice for victims and providing protection to the most vulnerable”, as well as “loyally fulfilling the constitutional mandate of protecting free exercise of rights and freedoms and guarantee citizen security”.
Likewise, he stressed that this Saturday, 200 years after January 13, 1824, the day the body was born, the agents dressed up to claim their “decisive contribution” to the country’s security. and “honor colleagues who are no longer here.” “We are a big family,” he said.
In this context, he has reiterated the body’s commitment to “continue progressing and offering the best services”, all in “the difficult scenario” that “it has had to live in”: “Dizzying times, full of emergencies, with geopolitical tensions in against and a constant technological evolution with a criminal activity that does not stop reinventing itself and that takes advantage of all the advantages of a globalized world.
“Ours is not an easy task,” González acknowledged, emphasizing that his work requires providing “consistent and effective responses in many areas,” “challenges” for which he has “bicentennial experience and a clear roadmap.” and defined”.
Among the crimes it fights, it has highlighted terrorism, radicalization processes, the fight against organized crime, civil crime, violence against women, abuse of minors, hate crimes and human trafficking. , among others.
Looking to the future, the strategy “is based on taking advantage of the talent of human resources” and “promoting excellence in solid leadership, based on the team,” he has also defended, referring to the force as a “modern, open , well-educated, loved and valued by society”.
Likewise, González has called to work together with the other security forces, as well as judges, prosecutors and with the support of the Ministry of the Interior.
Finally, he celebrated the raising of the flag, “a symbol of a great nation, national sovereignty and the superior values ??expressed in history and in the Constitution.”
The raising of the Spanish flag was carried out by a team made up of members of different units of the National Police and the Armed Forces, and subsequently an in memoriam ceremony was held for all the police officers who died in the act of service to throughout these 200 years. Attendees also witnessed a parade of police officers dressed in different historical uniforms.
