Barcelona City Council has acknowledged that the names of 1,245 Urban Guard officers, the city’s municipal police force, were published in its official public bulletin between September 2023 and 2026 because of what it called an error in publication criteria.

Albert Batlle, Barcelona’s deputy mayor for security, confirmed the total at a meeting of the city council’s Presidency, Security and Internal Affairs Committee on Wednesday 16 September. The disclosure concerns officers and their families, while Junts councillor Jordi Martí said it also raised questions about the collective security of Barcelona residents.

Figure rose from 568 officers disclosed in August

According to ABC Cataluña, the council had admitted at the end of August 2026 that the full names of 568 Urban Guard officers had been published. The number now acknowledged is 1,245.

  • The oldest affected publication dates from September 2023.
  • The most recent affected publication dates from 2026.
  • The council said 1,245 officers were affected in total.
“The publication criteria applied were, erroneously, the same as those used for other positions in the organisation, failing to comply with the specific data-protection criteria applicable to this group.”Albert Batlle, Barcelona deputy mayor for security

Batlle described the issue as an erroneous application of criteria, rather than a cyberattack or an unauthorised external leak. The names appeared in the city council’s Official Gazette, a public bulletin used to publish municipal decisions and notices.

Junts calls disclosure an issue of “extraordinary gravity”

Martí requested Batlle’s appearance before the committee on behalf of Junts. He rejected the characterisation of the matter as a routine administrative error.

“It is not just any administrative problem. It has many implications at many levels, affecting individuals, families and, especially, an issue as unique as the collective security of our city’s population.”Jordi Martí, Junts councillor

The council’s latest figure covers publications made over a period beginning in September 2023 and extending into 2026.

Reported by abc.es, ABC Cataluña.