Nineteen new trainee officers joined the L'Hospitalet de Llobregat Urban Guard on Tuesday 8 September 2026, following the completion of their training at the Catalan Public Security Institute. They will serve a one-year probationary period before becoming permanent civil servants.
The recruitment is part of a broader strategy by L'Hospitalet City Council to modernise the local police force, strengthen community policing, and increase visibility across neighbourhoods. Since June 2024, the force has added 52 officers under the age of 35 under the leadership of Mayor David Quirós, in a push to rejuvenate the workforce.
At a welcome ceremony, Quirós urged the recruits to adopt a community-focused approach in a city he described as "demanding, complex, and diverse." He reaffirmed the council’s commitment to improving public safety and responding to residents’ needs.
Expansion and Gender Balance in Recruitment
An ongoing selection process will fill 27 new competitive positions and 9 inter-administrative mobility roles in the coming months. Of the 27 open positions, 40% are reserved for women, a measure aimed at increasing female representation within the force.
Technology and Infrastructure Upgrades
The council is also advancing the technological modernisation of the Urban Guard. This includes the acquisition of a second specialised speed detection device to identify illegally modified electric scooters. In 2026, this technology has led to 572 scooters exceeding the 25 km/h limit being taken off the roads, a 68.2% increase compared to the 340 removed in 2025.
Additional measures include the planned construction of a new police station on Pau Casals Avenue, the rollout of body-worn cameras, expansion of the public street video surveillance network, and the integration of drone operations.
Quirós has also proposed that the new police station be shared with the National Police force, following a July 2024 meeting with the Spanish government’s delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto. The current station, located on Carrer Migdia in the Sant Josep district, houses municipal departments including Urban Planning, Public Space, Housing, and Sustainability, and is considered inadequate for the current 425-member staff.
"L’Hospitalet needs a new police station to improve security and coexistence in our neighbourhoods and respond to residents’ demands,"
Quirós stated after the meeting, reiterating a pledge he made during his June 2024 investiture speech. A May 2024 plenary motion initiated by the PP group called for the construction of a new dedicated facility or the exclusive allocation of the current building to the Urban Guard.
Crime Reduction and Inter-Force Cooperation
Between January and July 2026, the city recorded an 11% reduction in crime, a trend the council attributes to increased joint operations with other police forces and the resolution of a long-standing internal labour dispute within the Urban Guard that had persisted for over a decade.
Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, liniaxarxa.cat, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.
