On February 18, two vans with agents from the Economic and Financial Crime Unit (UDEF) of the National Police unceremoniously entered the headquarters of the local police in Granada. Once inside, they concentrated their energies on the offices of the commissioner and his trusted men. Five months later, the UDEF insisted and made a new registration, in that case, at the police headquarters and the Human Resources Area of the Municipality. It was known that fraud was being investigated in various oppositions to the local police, but the secrecy of the report prevented us from knowing the extent of those under investigation. Now that the summary has been drawn up, the numbers are impressive: 43 people investigated for fraud in 79 positions offered in four competitions in Granada and two other cities. The judge’s order also mentions up to 10 crimes. And the same ordinance recalls that “the existence of new investigations cannot be ruled out” because “the existence of another group within the local police which also carries out fraud in the opposition” is still being investigated.
The judicial investigation places the previous local police commissioner and his deputy at the top of the pyramid of that group. Also a group of trusted agents, and so on until 13 local agents from the capital are added, some of whom are responsible for the Independent Union of the Local Police of Granada (SIPLG). The judge explains how these agents, whom she included in a “criminal group”, committed “alleged participation in fraud or systemic manipulation of selective trials”. The goal of the conspiracy was to “make it easier for the people designated by them (children and other relatives or close friends), mainly local police officers, to pass the exams.” To do this, he continues, they formed courts with people from the group and “provided the questions of the theoretical exam and the practical course” to the “parents and/or candidates”. It is necessary to understand that many of those approved turned out to be children or relatives of the agents of the conspiracy.
Perhaps in case they didn’t even know the questions, the plot also included “hiring the psychologist who would carry out the second exercise (psychotechnical tests and interview) following the instructions of the top managers”. Therefore, seamlessly, the plot ensured the entire process. In addition to the 13 local agents, the hired psychologist, the general director of procurement and the head of this department of the Municipality of Granada are under investigation. In the capital the investigation, for now, is limited to two oppositions, one from 2019 with 40 seats and another from 2022, with 32 seats up for grabs.
But in addition to the capital, the court has targeted two other personnel selections, in the municipalities of Albolote (19,554 inhabitants), with four local police posts to be distributed, and in Algarinejo (2,331 inhabitants), with three. This allows the investigations to be expanded with an officer from the local police from Loja and another from Almuñécar – because in the courts of small towns it is always necessary to resort to officers from other cities – and two other magistrates, without specifying the reason for their presence.
In short, the car adds 20 people to the team of examiners. He accuses all of the alleged crimes of prevarication, influence peddling, disclosure of secrets and privileged information, criminal conspiracy and criminal association. And on the other side of the examiners’ dais, the judge includes 23 opponents of the ordinance as suspects. For these the attributable crime is that of abuse or crime against the public administration.
The superintendent under investigation and alleged ringleader of the conspiracy was forced to resign the day after he first registered with the UDEF. The city council – now represented by a private prosecutor – struggled to make the decision, but found itself dragged by events. Today, after having learned about the judicial system, the attitude has changed, without excessive force. Marifrán Carazo, popular mayor of the capital, demonstrated the “absolute collaboration” of the City Council with everything that the court requests. When asked if he intends to take action against the officers under investigation, the mayor replied that he would be open to whatever the judge requests.
The next step will be, according to the order signed by Susana Álvarez Civantos, magistrate of the investigative court number 4 of Granada, the declaration of the 43 suspects at the police station. The judge also gives injured opponents the chance to testify and offer their version of what happened.
The investigation into fraud in the opposition is not the only shadow hanging over the Local Police of Granada. Several officers are under investigation for accessing the VioGen system without any legal reason, allegedly to transfer information about a victim to a law enforcement sub-inspector accused of mistreatment of his ex-partner.
