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How to Complain About the Police in Spain

How to Complain About the Police in Spain

Along with complaints about Banks and other financial institutions; and complaints about local Town Halls , complaints about the Police rank highly amongst Non-Spaniards living in Spain and who may have fallen foul of certain procedures.

With regards to complaints specifically concerning the Police in Spain, it is first of all necessary to ascertain which of Spain’s various Police service your issue is concerned with. A full explanation of the roles of each Police service, and how to identify them, is given on the link to the guide > HERE << .

Depending upon the nature of your complaint, it is often the best solution to try and resolve whatever issue you may have locally at the offices of the service in question. If this approach fails to bring matters to a satisfactory conclusion you may decide to escalate things to a more formal approach.

Typically, those unfamiliar with such matters may consider contacting a Lawyer, and then soon afterwards discount this as being too great a financial commitment : A gamble on a case where the odds were stacked against them.

Whilst this approach is certainly not to be discounted, there is a procedure whereby the victims of some perceived wrong committed by any of Spain’s Police services can take matters further.

The ’Defensor del Pueblo’ is (by their own words) “the High Commissioner of the Parliament responsible for defending the fundamental rights and civil liberties of citizens by monitoring the activity of the Administration and public authorities”.

In layman’s terms, they are an independently elected ‘Ombudsman’ reporting to parliament, where a number of complaints can be filed against various public institutions – including the Police - regardless of residential status.

A complain can be filed in person (via their Offices in Madrid); In Writing; By E Mail or by completing an on-line form. In each case a receipt giving a unique case number will be issued whilst a decision is made to further investigate your issue. You can then check on any progress with your complaint by call a dedicated telephone number [(+34) 914 327 900] and quoting your reference.

However, anyone wishing to make such a complaint should consider that this is not an appeal process.

Further information on the Defensor del Pueblo – and how to formally submit your complaint [In English] can be seen by clicking the link > HERE <.

Further Reading

* How to complain about your Bank in Spain

* How to complain about your Town Hall in Spain

Comment on this Article

 
I denounced in the Court of gender violence and they filed the complaint, without looking my evidences, so I felt a strong sense of lack of protection. It seems that if there are no deaths or blood in the middle of the situation, I am going to continue to be the victim of an authority abuse. All of this, because I refused to accept the proposal of a married man. Due to the lack of protection I suffered, this situation of fear and disappointment plunged me into a deep depression. My bar is now sealed, and I must continue to pay the mortgage of the bar and my house. It seems hard to believe that situations like this happen in advanced societies and I want to fight to change it. I want to make my voice heard, so I am pleasantly asking for someone to make my case public. Spain’s media has turned the back on me, probably because of racist reasons. Greetings
Colin Wemyss - Sun 4th Jun 2017
At the beginning of the year of 2013, I closed the bar, forced by the crisis and various personal reasons. In October of that same year, I reopened the bar. That police inspector came to my business again, so I greeted him and I made it clear that we were not going to be in any sentimental relationship. That same night, when the premises of the bar were closed, some other policemen knocked on the door. I was opening the door when they shoved it violently. When I asked them the reason of that action, they only answered "you will find out." Then I called the local police inspector and asked him about that incident, but he denied any connection with it. I know he lied, because at that moment of the incident the inspector passed through with the patrol car without stopping. When I told him that I was going to the courthouse to report the facts, he reassured me and told me they came by simple routine. Later I received a notification with a penalty of almost 16000 euros for excess capacit
Colin Wemyss - Sun 4th Jun 2017
Hello Please read the attached letter from my wife regarding the treatment she has received at the hands of a man of high legal standing but very low morals. She has worked her fingers to the bone to earn a meagre living from a small bar in the canaries. This hard work has been ruined because of the lies of the Las Palmas police department. I would be obliged if you could find a way to feature this situation in your publication. Local media have no stomach for upsetting this corrupt regime especially where black people are involved. I see this racism clearly and regularly as an outsider. I am white, Scottish and married to an African woman who thought she had done the right thing by moving to Spain. She felt very proud the day she became a Spanish citizen and showed her Spanish passport to me wearing the biggest smile I had ever seen her with. This smile has withered and gone and her heart is broken at the treatment she has received. Regards Colin wemyss Sent from my iPad Begin
Colin Wemyss - Sun 4th Jun 2017
The theory is all well and good, but in practice I seriously doubt that anybody would go through with this for fear of any repercussions..... has anyone ever successfully complained about the police in Spain ?
Tyler - Sat 27th Sep 2014