Torrevieja to strengthen city centre security with new Local Police station
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Torrevieja is preparing to reinforce its urban security system with a new Local Police station in Joaquín Chapaprieta street, one of the busiest areas in the city centre.
Behind this announcement lies a deeper reality: Torrevieja has long stopped functioning as a small coastal town and now operates as a major Mediterranean tourist city.
Why is a new police station needed?
The Joaquín Chapaprieta area concentrates:
• shops;
• restaurants;
• tourist activity;
• nightlife;
• heavy pedestrian traffic.
During the summer, the area experiences increased:
• thefts;
• public disorder incidents;
• noise complaints;
• police interventions.
Local authorities are effectively acknowledging that the city’s current security infrastructure is no longer sufficient.
How many police officers does Torrevieja have?
According to municipal information and local media, Torrevieja’s Local Police currently employs approximately 140–170 officers.
The city is also served by:
• National Police;
• Guardia Civil;
• specialised anti-drug and organised crime units.
In summer, the real population of Torrevieja can exceed 300,000–400,000 people including tourists and second-home owners.
Crime levels continue to rise
According to Spain’s Ministry of Interior, around 10,000 criminal offences were registered in Torrevieja during 2025.
The most common crimes include:
• theft;
• burglaries;
• fraud;
• assaults;
• drug-related offences;
• tourist-related crime.
Problems intensify especially:
• during summer;
• in the city centre;
• near the seafront promenade;
• in areas with large numbers of tourist apartments.
Empty apartments and squatting
One of Torrevieja’s structural issues is the huge number of seasonally occupied apartments.
Thousands of homes remain empty for much of the year, creating opportunities for:
• burglaries;
• illegal occupation;
• rental fraud;
• criminal activity.
The “narcopiso” case residents still remember
One of the city’s most discussed recent incidents involved the dismantling of a drug apartment near the centre of Torrevieja.
Residents had complained for months about:
• fights;
• noise;
• suspicious movement;
• insecurity at night.
Police eventually carried out an operation, arresting several suspects and seizing drugs, cash and distribution equipment.
After the raid, many residents commented online:
“Now we can finally sleep peacefully.”
Police also save lives
Torrevieja police work is not limited to crime.
Last year, Local Police officers helped save the life of an elderly foreign resident during an extreme heatwave. Neighbours raised the alarm after not seeing him for several days, and officers entered the apartment, finding him in critical condition.
Medical services later confirmed that the rapid response likely saved his life.
A city growing faster than its infrastructure
The new police station reflects how rapidly Torrevieja continues to grow:
• more residents;
• more tourism;
• more housing developments;
• more pressure on infrastructure.
And with that growth comes a greater need for security and police presence across the city.
________________________________________
Detailed information about municipal services, urban management, police departments and public services in Torrevieja is available in the “Gestión de la ciudad” section of the Torreviejactual.com business and services directory.
• Municipal departments and contacts
• Local Police and public services
• Urban infrastructure and administration
• Useful information for residents
Comments