The National Police union Jupol considers that the new "camp" to welcome immigrants that the Ministry of the Interior has installed behind the Arrecife Police Station “is a disgrace”. “It's not what they promised us”, denounces the Jupol spokesman, Pablo Moscoso.
In this regard, he explains that more than a year ago they requested the implementation of a Temporary Care Center for Foreigners, but warns that it has nothing to do with what is being implemented. “It is not, by far, what we expected. It is not what we need”, he questioned on Radio Lanzarote - Onda Cero, pointing out that the tents that have been placed are only “a temporary solution”.
“The CATEs are facilities that are in the ports, where the Maritime Rescue boats arrive, and have a security perimeter, cameras and modular facilities”, details the spokesman, who adds that these modules are divided according to the different jobs that are carried out."There is one for the police to do the custody, another for the scientific police and the rest for the foreigners”, he explains.
The modules for foreigners in the CATEs, according to Pablo Moscoso, are also separated according to needs. “Beds are placed in the modules for children, men and women, they are fixed, solid facilities with a long history”, adds the spokesman.
“It has been known for a long time that immigration was going to increase, much more. It was foreseen that the Atlantic route would increase”, notes Moscoso. “What cannot be is that we were promised decent facilities both for us to do our job and for people to be well cared for, and that now they quickly put up, when there is another squeeze on boats, fifteen tents”, he denounces.
The Jupol spokesman recalls that in the rest of Spain, “they are placed in the ports”, and understands that the “most logical” installation in Lanzarote would be in the same location. “This way you avoid transfers, I understand that there will be some space on the dock for the installation”, he points out.
An occupational risk inspection will be carried out
Although the camp is currently under construction, and therefore the police have not yet been able to enter to see it, Pablo Moscoso estimates that it could house about “60 or 70 people in military-type bunk beds”, which is what there is in a similar space enabled in Gran Canaria.
Once it starts operating, Jupol warns that it has already requested that the occupational risk delegate make a visit to determine “in what conditions the police are doing their job”.
In relation to the time that immigrants will remain in this new camp, Moscoso emphasizes that the migratory phenomenon “is complex”, and that several different administrations are involved. “It is our responsibility to receive immigration, carry out identification procedures and files during the first 48 hours”, details the spokesman, who states that after that time, “another administration takes over”. “I don't want to think that, after 48 hours and the procedure, we have to take custody of people who in theory are already free”, he adds.
“We will see with the legal services the options we have, because we are finally forced to push hard on this issue. In the end, the problems become entrenched and you get used to assuming issues that do not concern us, which are from other administrations that directly affect police work and that cannot be”, laments the spokesman.
The option of using the military barracks, “a less bad solution”
In relation to the proposal of the Canarian Coalition to use the space of the old military barracks of Arrecife to temporarily welcome immigrants, Pablo Moscoso considers that it is “a less bad solution”. “It is a political motivation to recover the space for activity”, he adds.
However, the JUPOL spokesman emphasizes the need to “seek definitive solutions”. “A clear protocol, that if 300 people arrive in boats on a weekend you know that you are going to put them in the CATE, that you are going to do the judicial procedure and later there is a clear established protocol with the Red Cross or whoever of what is going to happen with those people and where they are going to be referred to”, he demands.
Thus, he affirms that we cannot continue "permanently improvising”, with the temporary installation “of an industrial warehouse, a camp or a tent”. “Then they warn that there is no room and you have to stay with them five more days”, he concludes.
