The Madrid Municipal Police has increased the training of its officers to more effectively address cases of gender-based and domestic violence, with a 35% increase in specific hours dedicated to this learning by municipal police officers in the last five years, as part of the ongoing efforts of the body and the Madrid City Council as a whole to combat this scourge.
Vice Mayor and Delegate for Security and Emergencies, Inma Sanz, highlighted this during her presence at the Institute of Integral Training in Security and Emergencies of the Community of Madrid (IFISE), where the practical part of the ‘Police Intervention in Gender-Based and Domestic Violence’ course was completed. This course was conducted by and for municipal police officers in the capital, with the theoretical part taking place earlier in the week at the Integral Training and Emergencies Center (CIFSE) of the City Council. Sanz was accompanied by Pedro Antonio Ruiz, Director General of the Regional Security and Emergencies Agency Madrid 112 (ASEM 112).
Four key pillars are emphasized in this training: prevention, detection, intervention, and protection. The training program for the Madrid Municipal Police in the field of gender-based and domestic violence is structured around these pillars. The training is part of the annual program provided by CIFSE and focuses on specialization courses within the Area of Judicial Police and Investigation, alongside other training actions such as ‘Intervention with Minors’, ‘Assistance to Victims of Crimes’, and ‘Office of Reports and Preparation of Judicial Documents’.
In 2024, the training program for municipal officers in Madrid was extended to 400 hours, with a third of that time (108 hours) specifically dedicated to addressing gender-based violence. Over the past decade, the Madrid Municipal Police has delivered over 3,600 training hours to its officers, with more than 1,000 hours dedicated solely to gender-based violence cases. This specific training has seen a 35% increase in the last five years, from 384 hours between 2014 and 2018 to 520 hours in the last five years.
The practical session observed by Sanz focused on real-life scenarios of gender-based violence incidents in Madrid, such as one that occurred in August 2021 in the Puente de Vallecas district. The objective was to equip police-officers-in-training with the skills needed to handle such situations effectively. The practice session covered identifying indicators of gender-based violence, intervening with victims, aggressors, minors, and potential witnesses, implementing specific protocols, and activating other support services such as medical, psychological, and shelter assistance.
With a decade of specialized training, the Madrid Municipal Police has trained nearly 2,000 officers to address gender-based violence cases and has collaborated in educating other police forces nationwide. Madrid Municipal Police has also worked closely with various agencies within the City Council, hospitals, associations, professional organizations, and universities in the training and prevention of gender-based violence.
The Madrid Municipal Police has a long-standing experience in handling gender-based violence, with specialized units established in 1999. The unit, known as the Unit of Support and Protection for Women, Children, and the Elderly (UAPMMM), has dealt with over 20,000 cases, ensuring comprehensive support for victims throughout the year. The unit works closely with the courts and utilizes tools provided by the Ministry of Justice to enhance their operations.
Presently, the Madrid Municipal Police has around 300 protection officers, specialized in long-term case management and victim protection. These officers maintain regular contact with victims, conduct risk assessments periodically, and adjust protection plans and measures based on case developments and victim circumstances. In the last full term (2019-2023), the Madrid Municipal Police intervened in over 8,000 cases of gender-based violence, with active protection for over 2,000 cases, representing half of the total cases in Madrid during that period.
The Regional Institute of Integral Training in Security and Emergencies (IFISE) has emerged as a national reference center for training in these areas, with approximately 9,000 students trained annually, including police officers, firefighters, forest rangers, and emergency medical services personnel. IFISE, integrated into the Madrid 112 Security and Emergencies Agency (ASEM112), offers high-quality courses with experienced instructors and innovative teaching activities, positioning it as a leading training institution in Spain.
FUENTE
