The CSIF union organization in the City Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has insisted on the immediate removal of the decorations adorning the booths serving as surveillance posts for the Local police during the Santa Cruz Carnival, as they have been designed with references to television shows, in line with the party’s theme.
The union views this attempt to integrate the Local Police posts with the carnival decorations as inappropriate, considering the image of an institution such as the Local Police Corps.
“When we talk about the Police, we refer to agents of authority, not just another element of entertainment. The agents carry out their duties at the events to ensure the safety for the citizens to enjoy, but we are not part of the festivity. We approach Carnival from a professional perspective; the two sides should not be mixed. This risks the image of the Corps and degrades the institution,” stated the union delegate, Jesús Illada.
The union organization confirms “the continuous insistence from politicians that the Police should be perceived as friends of the voters, part of the party and the entertainment, whereas in reality, we are agents of authority. If the society sees us as equals, this principle is compromised, resulting in damage to public service.”
CSIF finds it “alarming” that police officers face sanctions “when they denigrate the image of the Corps, and yet the administration itself is doing so on this occasion, embodying the saying ‘the shoemaker’s son always goes barefoot’.”
For these reasons, the union demands the immediate removal of the mentioned decorations, and also that those responsible for the actions that have “denigrated” the image of the Police Force be held accountable.
