Crime stays below pre-pandemic levels in the city

Crime statistics for the city are still below pre-pandemic levels, the current figure standing at 35.2%, even though there has been a 10% increase compared to 2020. The Barcelona Local Security Board made an analysis of this and other security indicators from last year, agreeing on a joint strategy between the different police corps to combat crime in the city.

04/02/2022 14:42 h

Ajuntament de Barcelona

Security priorities for the coming months include driving down repeat offences, strengthening the fight against sexist violence and improving support and protection for minors, the elderly and the homeless.

Fighting gender violence

Cases of sexual aggression and abuse rose last year by 13% compared to 2019, and 36% compared to 2020. In a bid to combat this situation, the City Police and the Mossos d’Esquadra have agreed to work on a joint protocol to improve coordination and support for women and children who suffer gender violence.

This measure comes in addition to the tools and resources to strengthen the fight against this type of violence introduced in recent months, such as:

  • The creation of a specific City Police service to prevent and detect risk situations.
  • The implementation of a guide for patrol units on indicators for possible cases of household violence.
  • The creation of a reference figure for sexist violence in each city district to carry out a more detailed and personalised follow-up of cases.

Other security indicators for 2021

Police activity in public space has been stepped up to ensure compliance with the restrictions to prevent the transmission of Covid-19. In 2012, the police moved on 551,770 people in public places and formally denounced 2,173 cases of establishments not complying with limits on opening times, 23,177 cases of people breaking the curfew and 2,920 cases of shared consumption of alcoholic drinks.

Crimes against property accounted for 87% of all offences. Within these, the highest figures were for theft (43%) and scams (14%). Thefts involving violence fell by 28.4% compared to 2019 but rose by 13.5% compared to 2020.

New local policing model

In a move to improve the prevention of risk situations, a new local policing model was also rolled out in the neighbourhoods in 2021. The goal is to address the initial stages of conflicts more efficiently and seek solutions to avoid more serious situations, the focus being on preventive policing. Besides improving police effectiveness, the model seeks the application of solutions which hold over time and tackle the root causes of conflicts.

Ordinary sessions by the Local Security Board take place every quarter and involve the Municipal Area for Security and Prevention, the Ministry for the Interior at the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Police and the Mossos d’Esquadra.

 

 

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