Municipal guards face expanded roles without adequate resources, study finds

A study by the National Confederation of Municipalities (CNM), involving 1,628 municipal administrations, indicates that the expanding roles of municipal guards are not being met with proportional financial or human resources.

While 80% of these guards focus on their original function of patrimonial protection, many have taken on additional security duties. These include maintaining order (75%), school security (73%), preventing violence against women (61%), and ostensive policing (58%).

Experts warn that increasing responsibilities without adequate investment in infrastructure, staffing, and continuous training poses significant risks. Concerns include the potential for human rights violations, operational overlap with other security forces, and increased costs due to inefficient, uncoordinated protocols.