Local Leaders Reiterate Call for Full Deployment
The president of the Garrotxa County Council, Albert Danés, and Olot mayor Agustí Arbós have formally requested that Catalonia’s Interior Department complete its pledge to assign 20 additional Mossos d’Esquadra officers to the comarca. As of late August 2026, only 14 of the promised officers have been deployed, leaving a shortfall of six, Danés confirmed.
Staffing Gaps Undermine Community Security
In a letter sent to Interior Minister Núria Parlon, the officials highlighted ongoing staffing pressures due to recent retirements, including that of the former head of the Garrotxa Basic Police Area (ABP), Blai Ortiz. Danés stressed that the current force level is insufficient for a region of nearly 64,000 residents, where only Olot has its own municipal police and 22 other towns rely entirely on the Mossos. "We are missing seven or eight agents to properly cover the comarca," Danés said, noting that some nights see only one or two patrols across the entire region. He cited growing demands related to theft, public order, and traffic safety.
Urgency Ahead of Major Local Festivals
The appeal comes ahead of Olot’s Festes del Tura, a major annual event drawing large crowds. While the summer of 2026 has been calmer due to increased patrols, private security hires, and festival coordination, local leaders say sustained presence is needed. Danés emphasized that visible policing, including mobile Mossos offices and surveillance cameras, has proven effective in deterring crime and aiding arrests. The original commitment to boost the ABP’s strength was made by Parlon in May 2025. The Department of Interior and Public Security has not issued a public update on the status of the remaining six officers.
"For us, these agents are very necessary, and we have sent a letter to the minister,"
, Albert Danés, President, Garrotxa County Council
Primary sources: interior.gencat.cat, Departament d'Interior i Seguretat Pública, dsp.interior.gencat.cat, mossos.gencat.cat, Dep. Interior Generalitat Catalunya. Reported by gerio.cat, lavanguardia.com, Redacción COPE Barcelona, rtve.es, garrotxadigital.cat, diaridegirona.cat, naciodigital.cat, Garrotxa Digital.
