Almonte police shortage leaves tourist spots unprotected this summer

The Professional Union of Municipal Police of Spain in Andalusia (SPPME‑A) representing Almonte’s local police has publicly complained that only two patrols are covering Almonte, El Rocío and Matalascañas during the peak summer period, a situation it describes as “insustainable”.

The union says that on Thursday evening between 19:30 and 23:00 the three localities were left without any police presence, causing numerous calls that could not be answered promptly and a rise in incidents such as several reported purse‑thefts at the Matalascañas market, where a preventive patrol that had been routine in previous summers was absent. It also notes that the municipal telephone centre often lacks enough staff to handle emergency calls. The union urges the Almonte city council to take urgent measures to reinforce the police force and ensure “dignified, effective” service for the tens of thousands of visitors that flock to the area each summer.