The Ardatz center of the Ertzaintza in Oiartzun is the crucial hub for managing emergencies in Gipuzkoa, handling an average of 222 alerts daily. These range from traffic accidents to mountain rescues, with the unit acting as the "eyes" of the officers on the ground, overseeing all activities.

Urko Errandonea, head of the Ardatz Gipuzkoa unit, emphasizes that the center forms the core of the Ertzaintza's operations. "Everything that happens on the street passes through here," he states, referring to the coordination of rescue helicopters, intervention patrols, and ambulances.

The operations room is a hive of constant activity, featuring large screens displaying traffic cameras and direct communication lines between agents. A team of approximately 80 individuals works in shifts, ensuring 24/7 coverage to provide a rapid and effective response to any incident.

The center is equipped to mobilize a wide array of resources, including ambulances, helicopters, and forensic services, as required by each incident. Errandonea highlights that "there is no mobilized resource that Ardatz is unaware of," complementing the firsthand information gathered by officers in the field.

Over the past three years, the Ardatz center has managed a total of 240,955 calls in Gipuzkoa. Of these, 54,743 were classified as "urgent," accounting for approximately 22%. Errandonea explains that the prioritization of emergencies is determined by the incident's severity and a "human and subjective factor" assessed by trained agents.