The Department of Security has had to reorganize the police force to guarantee security in the celebration of the Carnival after the unions, in a majority, have refused to reduce their rest period from 12 noon to 8, with the aim of giving shape to the device that was announced in mid-April, in which the Civil Guard, the National Police, the Canarian Police and the Local Police itself would add about 500 agents for the security of the street Carnival.
In the meeting held last Thursday with Human Resources, three of the four unions voted against sacrificing part of their rest to comply with what was requested by the City Council, which was nothing more than shortening the hours of rest between shifts.
According to union sources, the refusal is due to the fact that they are “fed up” with their “health and safety” being “played with”, when the problem of lack of personnel belongs to the City Council. “If they want a party, the first thing they had to do was find out if security could be guaranteed,” they point out.
They denounce that there are more than 100 policemen without ballistic vests, without riot protection helmets, without training in large crowds…”and on top of that they pretend that they are in full psychophysical faculties without resting.”
From the Santa Cruz City Council they confirm that in the face of this refusal what has been done is to reorganize the shifts in such a way that the 12 hours of rest are guaranteed. They assure that security is not endangered, although the unions affirm that there will be fewer troops on the street, pointing out that if that option was possible from the beginning, they do not understand why they were asked to reduce the hours of rest.
This same weekend, with various cultural events and, above all, the party for the promotion of Tenerife, the City Council assures that they will be 240 agents who will ensure security for tomorrow’s game.
