The increase follows the deployment of 33 new civic wardens in the high-footfall areas of Sagrada Família, La Rambla and Turó de la Rovira at the end of March. A further 19 wardens have been stationed around Park Güell, having been introduced by BSM last summer at a cost of around €1.18 million.

Ten of the remaining 66 wardens were already operating in high-footfall areas, as well as in other parts of the city, including Sant Antoni, Barceloneta and Montjuïc. This reinforcement will bring the total number of wardens to 118 this summer.

The role of civic wardens

Civic wardens work to improve people’s quality of life by promoting respectful behaviour and civic responsibility in the city’s streets. They patrol in uniform in morning and afternoon shifts, including at weekends and on public holidays. In addition to providing information, they speak to residents and visitors whose behaviour may be disrupting city life, asking them to comply and issuing warnings where necessary. They can also report incidents to the Barcelona City Police (Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona, GUB), who are responsible for enforcing fines.

Before taking up their duties on the street, wardens receive specific training. As well as taking an educational approach to addressing misbehaviour, they also log their observations throughout the day. Their tasks include monitoring mobility, providing general information, ensuring proper waste management, and mediating to prevent behaviours such as feeding animals in public spaces or allowing dogs to roam off-lead.