The coordination between security forces for the next festivities of San Mateo, which will be held from June 20 to 26, was the guiding thread of the Local Security Board held this morning in the City of Logroño and presided over by the mayor, Conrado Escobar, and the delegate of the Government in La Rioja, Beatriz Arraiz.
“The festivities of San Mateo, in each of its activities and events, will once again have an important police presence thanks to the collaboration between both administrations and the Local and National Police forces themselves, which will guarantee optimal levels of security for an event of this nature,” said Conrado Escobar.
“Based on the fact that Logroño is a safe city, the main objective of this device is prevention and, where appropriate, reaction to any situation that may alter the security of citizens. A device that is not always visible, but always effective and with a rapid response capacity thanks to the coordination between the members of the National and Local Police forces in all the actions carried out, which also include, beyond security, the monitoring of alcohol and drug consumption,” said the mayor.
The device authorized by the Local Police will have 150 agents distributed in three shifts (morning, afternoon and night), which will be reinforced if available, with another 50 agents who will remain in reserve. The service will be offered by agents conducting patrols on foot and on board 45 vehicles.
Civilian agents will also be included in multitudinous events such as the launch of the rocket. This is aimed at preventing crimes, minor thefts (such as mobile phones or wallets, mainly) and situations of sexual assault. In addition, mobile citizen tracking cameras will be implemented in critical areas.
For her part, and before advancing the operation planned by the National Police for the festivities of San Mateo, the delegate of the Government, Beatriz Arraiz Nalda, has highlighted the great professionals who carry out their work in our autonomous community. In this way, he stressed that, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior, “the Superior Police Headquarters in La Rioja is the 1st in terms of efficiency and Logroño is ranked number 11 in terms of the capitals of safer provinces”.
In the last crime balance, corresponding to the end of the first half of the year, Logroño stood at 36.5 criminal offenses per 1,000 inhabitants. According to this rate, the data in the Rioja capital are below the average of La Rioja, which was 37 at the end of June, and the national average, which amounted to 52.1.
Already focused on the operation planned for San Mateo, the delegate has specified that around 400 National Police troops will ensure public safety in the Rioja capital during the holidays. “The main objective of this device is prevention and, where appropriate, reaction to any situation that may alter the security of citizens during these holidays in which a greater influx of people is expected in the city,” he explained.
As in previous holidays, the key day will be Friday, September 20, with the firing of the rocket. For this first day, the National Police will work with civilian and uniformed agents to ensure that this event takes place without incident. Likewise, members of the Tedax will carry out preventive work with the revision of urban furniture and a subgroup of the Intervention Units and agents of the Prevention and Reaction Unit of La Rioja will be deployed in the area, with the mission of acting in the cases of prevention and imminent danger or serious alteration of citizen security.
In addition, for this act of beginning of the festivities, the Air Safety team will be operational, which will fly with a helicopter over the Town Hall square and its surroundings, as well as work with drones to control the safety and avoid the intrusion of possible unmanned aircraft.
On the other hand, the delegate has said that the National Police has planned that the Canine Guides Unit will be present in different areas of the city to avoid drug trafficking.
Other points in which special attention will be paid are the train and bus stations, where agents of the Mobile Brigade will control the documentation of travelers in the face of the expected increase of travelers during San Mateo.
Finally, the National Police Cavalry will act in Logroño, fundamental in those events in which more concentration of people is expected, such as in the celebration of bullfights.
Access to the Town Hall Square on the day of the announcer rocket
“On the occasion of the launch of the announcing rocket of the San Mateo 2024 festival, on Friday 20 at 13:00 hours, the Local Police and the National Police, with the support of the volunteers of Civil Protection, will carry out an access control to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento with the aim of making this act, in addition to playful, safe and able to develop with the correct coexistence between those who want the party, who want to enjoy a family atmosphere and those vulnerable people, such as elderly people or children who also enjoy this festive event,” said the mayor of Logroño, Conrado Escobar.
In this way, it will not be possible to introduce dangerous objects, drinks or food that can produce dirt or damage in the event of being thrown, packaging or detergent products. However, the access of wine boots will be allowed.
Given the foreseeable mass influx to the event, in order to avoid dangerous situations due to the risks entailed by the enormous density of people who are concentrated in the entrance and exit areas to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, entrance and exit areas will be enabled.
In those points with greater influx of people, the entrance areas will be signposted by billboard, which are mainly through the streets Obispo Bustamante, Tricio, Avenida de Colón and Avenida de la Paz; while, to avoid risks of avalanches, the part of Avenida de la Paz with Juan XXIII, next to the ESDIR, will be only of exit and will not be accessible to the interior of the Plaza from that point.
In order to facilitate the emergency services at the entrances and exits of the enclosure, the volunteers and volunteers of Civil Protection and Red Cross will locate their main points on the skiing of Twelfth Light Artillery Street and avda. de la Paz (under the clock of the Town Hall Square).
It is necessary to keep in mind that it is not possible to try to access the square 5 or 10 minutes before the firing of the rocket, and that the arrival at the Town Hall Square must be done in a timely and orderly manner to avoid risks.
Violet Dots
The City Council of Logroño will have Violeta Points in different points of the city during the festivities of San Mateo to continue the work of information, sensitization and prevention of sexist attitudes and aggressions against women:
- Market Square (from 20 to 24 September, from 12:00 to 14:00 hours and from 19:00 to 24:00 hours).
- Calle Beratúa (20 September, 22:00 to 2:00 hours).
- Twelfth Light Street - corner Town Hall Square (21 September, from 21:30 to 00:30 hours).
Parliament Square (23 September, from 21:00 to 24:00 hours).
These spaces will be attended by professionals with higher qualifications and training in gender equality and prevention against male violence. They will offer tools to identify stereotypes and prejudices associated with gender, as well as help to identify situations of inequality through informative materials and active listening.
Likewise, in the Violeta Points will be made known the resources of orientation, attention and denunciation that are offered from the City Council and the rest of the public agencies.