May 04, 2024. The Civil Guard Command of León has incorporated into the surveillance of the Camino de Santiago the new mobile office of attention to the pilgrim. This office, thanks to its versatility, can also be used as an advanced command post and citizen care. In addition to this, joint patrols with other foreign police (France and Germany) have been carried out thanks to the existing collaboration with both countries, and the summer support of the Cavalry Group of the Civil Guard that will travel to this province to strengthen security on the Camino.

New Mobile Pilgrim Care Office (OMAP):

This newly acquired van is equipped with the same systems that carry the Civil Guard police vehicles, along with the rest of the technology necessary for an efficient and effective public security service, and with features similar to those of any Civil Guard quartering. It is also equipped with a portable electronic device (defibrillator) for use in case of urgent need and an institutional stamp for stamping on the pass credential carried by pilgrims in order to obtain ‘la Compostela’ (accreditation of the pilgrimage to the tomb of the apostle Santiago), once the completion of the necessary stages is justified, a stamp that is also available in the different barracks through which the Camino passes.

Its main objectives are to increase citizen security in places or areas of greater concentration of pilgrims, to enhance personal attention by providing information on security measures and advice, to attend to the victims of crimes (advising them and supporting them in the necessary procedures), and, in general, to provide any type of information on the Camino de Santiago or public services available, thereby allowing more effective and closer attention, thus reinforcing the perception of security in pilgrims, both objective and subjective, and the corporate image of the Body itself.

Jacobean Security Plan:

As in previous years, the Leon Command has provided a special security mechanism for the Camino de Santiago aimed at the surveillance, prevention and investigation of possible criminal acts that may be committed, as well as assistance to pilgrims, coinciding with the increase in the number of people - both national and foreign - who transit through the province of León on their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

The operation deployed on the ground will be composed mainly of the mobile office of attention to the pilgrim, patrols of Citizen Security and of the Traffic Group and Seprona. For aerial surveillance, it will be supported by an Air Unit helicopter and a Command drone. The RPAS (Remote Control Manned Aircraft System) thus allowing more immediate control from the air in different sections of the Camino, especially in those with more difficult access.

With this reinforcement in the security device, which the Leon Command maintains active throughout the year, the presence of uniformed patrols in public transport terminals, roads, communication or transit nodes of people, lodgings, etc., as well as in the Camino’s own routes that run through the territorial demarcation of the Corps, is increased. Close and reliable attention will be given to the pilgrims and the sections will be monitored to avoid damage to the Camino (historical, artistic and cultural heritage), the alteration of the signage of the Jacobean route, the prevention and conservation of nature and the environment, the protection of critical infrastructures and guarantee road safety. Public safety in the most deprived areas of the province will be prioritized within the framework of the “Plan to Boost the Operational Response to the Demographic Challenge” of the “Old Legio Plan, Security and Protection for the Elderly” and the “Safe Tourism Plan promoted by the Secretary of State for Security”.

In the development of this specific Plan, the Civil Guard collaborates closely with the Association of Municipalities of the Camino de Santiago (AMCS) and the Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago (FEAACS).

Campaign ‘Don’t walk alone: Camino de Santiago free of male violence’:

The Government Delegation in Castilla y León continues with the campaign ‘No caminas sola: Camino de Santiago free of male violence’, addressed to pilgrims to inform them of the resources specifically made available to women and that they can use in the event that they suffer any type of violence.

Virtual Guardian of the Way:

In addition to the physical presence on the Jacobean Route, the Civil Guard will intensify its virtual presence by enhancing the ALERTCOPS application of the Ministry of the Interior. By downloading it, the pilgrims/users will be able to activate the Benemérito Guardian function, which will provide services such as attention from the operational service centers, reception of geolocated security alerts in real time, as well as the possibility to contact the emergency phone 062, all available in 7 languages. Likewise, pilgrims will receive random messages with security tips according to their geopositioning. With this, it is intended to develop the aspect of Virtual Guardian of the Camino, incorporating information from the barracks of the Civil Guard that are less than a kilometer from the Camino de Santiago.

Decalogue on uses and tips:

The Civil Guard makes available to the citizen in the following web link: https://www.guardiacivil.es/es/servicios/consejos/Camino_de_Santiago.html a decalogue of uses and safety tips and general information about the ALERTCOPS app, and in particular about the welcome GEO messages and the Benemérito Guardian function, with a tutorial for downloading and configuring them on the mobile phone.