Torrevieja launches a new local police school patrol to strengthen support for children and schools.

Torrevieja City Council, through the Department of Education and the Local Police , today presented the new School Patrol , a specialized service that will begin operating on the first day of the school year. Although the surveillance and attention to educational centers has always been one of the functions of the Local Police , thanks to the recent increase in personnel by the City Council, it is possible to launch this more professionalized unit , specifically dedicated to monitoring students with recurring absenteeism, controlling access to centers and guaranteeing the safety of minors in their school environment.

Inspector Tomá s Quesada, of the Torrevieja Local Police, will be responsible for leading this new unit, which is made up of two patrols with specific training in the role of " tutor agent " , provided by the Generalitat Valenciana. Each patrol will be made up of two specialized agents.

In addition , the School Patrol joins the nearly 30 Local Police officers who daily ensure security at the entrances, exits, and surrounding areas of Torrevieja's educational centers, thus reinforcing the protection and comprehensive care of minors.

Comprehensive care and coordination with the centers

The School Patrol will act as a point of reference for Torrevieja's educational centers in the prevention, protection, and support of minors, working closely with families, management teams, Social Services , the Department of Health, the UPCCA (National University of Torrevieja), and the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office . Its functions range from preventing absenteeism and monitoring school entrances and exits to the early detection of possible cases of bullying, mistreatment, abuse, or youth violence. They will also provide support to families in vulnerable situations related to problems such as bullying, drug addiction, vandalism, and addiction to new technologies . They will also offer talks and workshops on youth violence prevention, responsible use of social networks and cyberbullying. They will also actively patrol areas frequented by minors, ensuring that students are in their classrooms during school hours and ensuring that no one else enters the schools, thus reinforcing security and compliance with the school day.

The Councilor for Education, Ricardo Recuero, emphasized that this is " a huge qualitative step forward in the care provided to educational centers, minors, and children . " He also stressed that " an action plan will be established with each school and secondary school in Torrevieja to adapt the patrol's presence and functions to the specific needs of each center ."

For his part, the Councillor for Police and Security, Federico Alarcón, stated that “ this project reinforces the close presence of the Local Police in the educational field , not only from the security perspective, but also from the prevention and education perspective, building trust between minors, families and centres ”.

TORREVIEJA, A LEADER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SCHOOL DROPOUTS

The educational context of Torrevieja reinforces the need for this measure due to its growing student population. While the early school leaving rate in Spain stands at 13%, and in the Valencian Community at 12.88% ( historically low ), Torrevieja has an exceptional figure: less than 3% among the nearly 17,000 students enrolled in the city .

“ This data demonstrates the effectiveness of the joint work we have been doing and encourages us to continue strengthening initiatives such as the School Patrol to permanently eradicate absenteeism , ” Recuero added .

In recent years , the City Council has responded to the significant increase in the school population – more than 50% in just five years – by enabling temporary centers such as schools numbers 14 , 15 and the IES “ Eras de la Sal ” , and is already working on the future school number 16 in the Mar Azul area.

With this new School Patrol, Torrevieja reaffirms its commitment to education, childhood, and safety , consolidating its position as a municipality that leads the way at the local and regional levels in the prevention, protection, and support of minors.