- The national police involved will ensure daily to improve the prevention of criminal acts within the reinforcement of the Safe Trade and Tourism plans
- Madrid will host a hundred events, among concerts, recreational, commercial and sports activities that have been decisive when designing the different operating plans
- Security devices will be established in places of large influx of people with greater police presence than usual and a special device against theft and theft of portfolios in the center zone
A total of 1050 agents of the National Police will participate daily in the special device to reinforce security during the Christmas holidays throughout the Community of Madrid. This was presented today at the meeting of the ‘Christmas Plan 2023’, chaired by the government delegate in the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, in which all the actions of this campaign that will begin tomorrow, December 1, and will last until January 7 have been coordinated.
It was attended by the superior head of the National Police in Madrid, Manuel Soto Seoane, and representatives of the City of Madrid, Municipal Police of Madrid, SAMUR-Civil Protection, Firefighters, Regional Transport Consortium, Metro, EMT and Renfe.
After this first meeting, the Government Delegation will convene during the month of December other part-sessions focused on the big concerts, the Extraordinary Christmas Lottery Draw, the San Silvestre Vallecana, the celebration of the pre-grapes on December 30, New Year’s Eve and the 19 Parades of the Three Kings in the different districts of Madrid.
Special device
Of the 1,000 national police officers who will work daily to improve crime prevention, 330 are members of the Provincial Citizen Security Brigade and 720 are members of the District and Local Police Stations.
Special units —Cavalry, Subsoil, Canine Guides, Police Intervention Unit (UIP) and Air Media—; Devices Section; Prevention and Reaction Units (UPR), Mobile Brigade Section, Citizen Care Groups, Private Security Section and Citizen Participation will also participate in this device.
Security devices will be established in places with a large influx of people with a greater police presence than usual and a special device against the theft and theft of portfolios in the central area; in addition to the use of the Condor helicopter and drones from the National Police, which provide real-time images to the Operational Control Center (CECOR). There will also be an increase in the police presence in Metro, Renfe Largo Ruta, Cerca Ías and EMT by the Mobile Brigade.
The anti-terrorist alert is maintained at level 4, which will mean a large deployment of uniformed and civilian police to increase surveillance in places with a large influx of public.
Trade and Tourism Insurance
The Christmas Plan is one of the great plans implemented by the Ministry of the Interior, which intensifies in the shopping areas during the opening hours by the number of visitors and tourists who come to the city.
The Safe Trade Plan consists of the prevention of criminal acts, of which both traders and customers can be victims, providing a safe environment for the trade. Among the specific objectives: the prevention of robberies with violence or intimidation and robberies with force or theft in establishments, especially “lunges” and “butrones”.
The device established by the Superior Police Headquarters of Madrid is carried out in two phases: the ‘Preliminary Phase’, which began on November 17 and ends today, November 30. And the ‘Operational Phase’, which begins on December 1 and will last until January 8, 2023.
The Citizen Participation Unit of the Superior Police Headquarters of Madrid, together with the Units of the District Police Stations, works to raise awareness among citizens and merchants in order to prevent them from being victims of scams in the purchases made. In addition, the National Police increases the number of meetings in the shops themselves, large stores, private security companies and neighborhood associations, and the recommendations are publicized in the media and on social networks.
In addition, during these dates the Safe Tourism Plan is reinforced, which remains active throughout the year.
Over a hundred events and activities
So far, the Government Delegation has counted more than a hundred acts or activities. Among them: 45 Christmas markets and fairs;18 great musicals; 4 circuses; 7 ice rinks; the crowds for Christmas lighting and the tourist bus; 10 popular races; 35 great concerts; the Extraordinary Christmas Lottery Draw; 5 football matches; 10 basketball matches; numerous religious events, plus the events commemorating the anniversary of the Spanish Constitution and, to date, 97 demonstrations or rallies communicated to the Government Delegation, which will increase with the passage of the days.