The Public Security Institute of Catalonia (ISPC) has cautiously expelled an aspiring agent of the Barcelona City Police, accused of intimately touching at least three school students. The police academy notified the individual this Thursday that it provisionally removed him from the basic training course, as La Vanguardia has learned and a spokesman for the Interior Department has confirmed. The ISPC has also notified the Barcelona City Council of the student’s expulsion so that the payment of the benefit that he receives can be reduced.
Last week, a student told one of her instructors that one of her classmates had touched her private parts during one of her self-defense classes. The instructors filed the complaint and the ISPC began an internal investigation in which two more victims appeared who also confirmed that they had been touched by this individual. The women indicated that the student exceeded the limits of physical contact in those classes. Sources familiar with the investigation do not rule out that more victims appear. The center has opened a disciplinary file and an internal investigation that will determine the continuity of this student, and if the allegations are confirmed, it would mean his final expulsion.
The ISPC will begin its proceedings by taking statements from several students to clarify the facts and reserves the possibility of bringing the case to justice. The management of the center has also offered victims to go to court. A sergeant from the Urban Guard who works as an instructor at the school has been in charge of informing the student of his precautionary suspension. In addition, the management of the center has informed the three victims of the expulsion of their partner and has taken special care so that they do not coincide with him in the center.
The suspended applicant passed the last round of oppositions called by the Barcelona City Council to occupy one of the 150 agent positions of the Urban Police of Barcelona. Since mid-January, the new students have been attending the basic training course that next year will be complemented by joining the police force as trainee agents. The Urban Guard of Barcelona has offered its full collaboration with the investigation so that responsibilities are cleared up and will abide by what the ISPC decides when its investigations are finished.
In April of last year, another aspiring agent of the Urban Guard was arrested by the Mossos d’Esquadra accused of having sexually abused four colleagues. The events occurred during a dinner in which they celebrated having passed the middle of the police course. The 37-year-old arrested man argued that he was very drunk and that he did not remember anything. The Public Security Institute also opened a file and was separated.
