On Thursday 1st October, the Manuel España Theatre hosted the official ceremony to mark the feast day of the patron saint of the Mijas Local Police, an event designed to publicly recognise the work of those who, every day, strive to ensure our safety, uphold the law and stand by the public when they need it most.

The event was attended by representatives of the local council, led by the mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), and the councillor for Local Police and Security, Juan Carlos Cuevas Dawson (Vox), as well as senior officials and members of the various law enforcement agencies and, of course, the key figures of the day: the men and women who make up the Mijas Local Police.

 

The mayoress wished to “congratulate all the officers honoured today at this ceremony for their commitment and dedication; they are always ready to protect the people of Mijas and always ensure their safety. I also speak on behalf of all the town’s residents, whom I am honoured to represent at this deeply moving event that brings us together to celebrate the feast of Saint Michael”. Mata also highlighted that “my congratulations to the officers are sincere, based on a sense of trust and gratitude, empathy and protection”.

 

For his part, the first deputy mayor, Cuevas Dawson, highlighted the “extraordinary work” of the Local Police, “which is evident on the streets and is also reflected in the statistics”. Furthermore, the councillor for Public Safety emphasised the efforts made by Local Police officers in collaborating with other security forces, such as the Civil Guard, noting that “the government’s lack of personnel and resources is evident, which forces our officers to respond to 112 emergency calls”.

 

Speaking on behalf of the Mijas Local Police, Inspector Juan Antonio González Guillén took the floor, stating that “there is one thing that must never change: our dedication to service. Behind every uniform there must always be a very simple idea: we are here to serve and protect”. Guillén also extended his “most sincere congratulations to those receiving public recognition today for outstanding service”.

 

On Thursday 1st, Mijas paused to look those whose mission is to protect and care for the town, and to thank those who are always there for us. To this end, Mijas Comunicación produced the documentary ‘Mijas Local Police: always there’, a video which was screened before the awards were presented.ç

For having served as an active member of the Andalusian Local Police Force for a period of 30 years, to be completed in 2026, without having been sanctioned for serious or very serious offences, officer Pedro Tejón, was awarded the Police Cross of Merit with Blue Insignia, a medal presented to him by Ana Mata.

And for his 20 years of service without having been sanctioned for serious or very serious offences, Javier García received the Police Cross of Merit with White Badge from Cuevas Dawson. “It’s been 20 years of camaraderie, a great atmosphere among the team, with experiences involving members of the public, some sadder, others happier, and all of this has brought us to where we are today”, said García. 

 

Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of the current Mijas Local Police Regulations, the Town Councill unanimously agreed at a plenary session to  commend various officers for their police actions; these commendations were presented on Thursday 1st in the form of certificates to more than thirty officers, such as the one who facilitated the arrest of members of a criminal organisation during an incident involving gunfire between criminals and drug trafficking at Faro de Calaburras, while also seizing 73 kg of hashish and recovering a firearm. “Today is a day to spend time with our families outside of our police duties, for them to get to know one another; it’s quite an important day”, said the honoured officer, who expressed his gratitude for the recognition.

Special mention for two civilian

At the ceremony, local resident Iván Calderón was also commended for exemplary actions, in which he firmly restrained an individual who attempted to throw himself off one of the bridges on the A-7, thereby preventing a suicide and demonstrating courage, solidarity and civic commitment. “These are actions you don’t think about, and I believe that anyone who had been in my situation would surely have done the same; the fact that we’re here means that everything turned out well, which is what matters”, acknowledged Calderón. 

Congratulations were also extended to Daniel Martínez for his cooperation with the officers in dealing with a fleeing individual, whom he blocked, thereby facilitating his arrest.

Institutional recognition

The political representatives from the municipality who attended the event highlighted the work carried out by the Mijas Local Police and congratulated the officers who were honoured and awarded medals on Thursday. “We are very proud of the work carried out by the nearly 150 members of the Local Police and we are committed to them; we want to help, support and stand by them in all their work, and that requires a commitment”, said the PP spokesperson at Mijas Town Hall, Mario Bravo (PP), who emphasised that “they are committed to defending our safety and our freedom, and we must commit to providing them with all the necessary resources, both technical and, above all, human”.

For his part, Vox councillor at Mijas Town Hall Francisco Jerez stated that “today we are publicly demonstrating the appreciation that the people of Mijas have for the officers who, at some point during the year, have put their lives on the line and risked their physical safety to defend the welfare of the general public; this is something both they and we can be proud of”.

The PMP spokesperson, Juan Carlos Maldonado (PMP), said that “it is a special day for them, and, of course, for the people of Mijas, because we have one of the best police forces on the Costa del Sol, as is widely recognised. And judging by their actions and the climate of security that prevails in our municipality, they play a decisive role in ensuring that this remains the case”.

Finally, the PSOE councillor Josele Gonzalez (PSOE) stated that “despite the poor management of the Town Hall’s Security Department and the lack of resources available to our local police, they demonstrate that, thanks to our senior officers, the highly skilled professionals, officers, deputy inspectors and chief superintendents, they do an incredible job ensuring the safety of the municipality, especially given that in many cases they step in to make up for the shortage of Civil Guard officers we face”. 

 

Mass and floral offering

Before the ceremony, members of the municipal corporation, led by the mayoress, Ana Mata, and representatives of the Mijas and Fuengirola Local Police, the Mijas Fire Brigade and the Civil Guard, attended the  Mass and floral offering which took place at the parish church of San Manuel González in Las Lagunas, with a homily delivered by the parish priest, Manuel Jiménez.

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