Coastal municipalities in Gipuzkoa are preparing for summer with a significant police reinforcement to manage the influx of tourists and increased social activity. A total of 190 new agents, trained at the Arkaute academy, will be deployed across various towns in the province, with a notable concentration in coastal areas.
Donostia (San Sebastián) leads this deployment with 116 new officers. One hundred of them will join the existing municipal police force, while the remaining sixteen will fill vacant positions. Mayor Jon Insausti emphasized the importance of this measure for "guaranteeing order and safety in the streets," calling it an "endeavor" shared with Security Councilor Martin Ibabe. The city council noted a 16% decrease in crime in the first five months of the year, though they anticipate the summer season will be the true indicator of this trend.
Irun, Gipuzkoa's second most populous municipality, is also anticipating peaks in activity, with the first already experienced during the San Marciales festivals. Without the influence of beaches, a second peak is expected in mid-August. The permanent staff of 104 officers will be expanded to 119 by 2027, with an additional 18 interim officers joining this summer, thirteen of whom have already started.
Errenteria will receive four additional officers, while Eibar is not on the initial list. The distribution is based on municipal requests, with the Basque Government responding according to its capabilities. Of the nearly 3,000 applications for the interim officers' pool, 990 passed the initial tests, and 740 will complete their training to be incorporated.
In smaller municipalities, the influx of tourists and second-home owners can significantly alter the local population. Zarautz, with a registered population of 23,500, may see over 35,000 people during the summer. To manage this, its Municipal Police, which has 42 officers, has been reinforced with twelve more for the summer. Mayor Xabier Txurruka notes that the population can increase by up to 50%, leading to more police work, though he does not consider Zarautz a "problematic town" in summer.
Hondarribia faces challenges with traffic and parking. In addition to police reinforcements, the city council has hired six assistants for parking and OTA (municipal parking regulation) control. Although more officers were requested, only ten have arrived so far, with the remaining two expected in the coming weeks. The Basque Government assures that the employment pools will be filled as candidates complete their training at the Basque Police and Emergency Academy.
The training for candidates includes legal, operational, and tactical learning, as well as specific training in the safe use of firearms, in accordance with Decree 24/2024. This qualification is essential as officers may be assigned to municipalities with different service models.
Zumaia, another popular tourist destination, sees its population increase from around 10,000 to approximately 13,000 in the summer. Mayor Iñaki Ostolaza has requested two additional officers, one of whom has arrived. Other municipalities such as Mutriku and Pasaia have received five more officers; Deba, Legazpi, Urnieta, Urretxu, and Zumarraga, two; and Andoain, Azkoitia, Lasarte-Oria, Lezo, and Ordizia, one each.
