The Town Hall of Antequera has honoured agents who rescued a person in the fire at the Plaza del Comercio and a resident who returned a wallet containing over 1,000 euros. Mayor Manolo Barón has committed to providing more resources and protection for the force.
The church of San Juan de Dios hosted this Friday the institutional event for the patron of the Local Police of Antequera, San Rafael, during which the Town Hall awarded police merit medals, public congratulations, and recognitions for dedication in service. The ceremony was presided over by the mayor, Manolo Barón, accompanied by the territorial delegate of Economy, Finance, European Funds and University, Industry, Energy and Innovation of the Junta in Málaga, Antonio García Acedo; the deputy mayor for Security and Traffic, Antonio García Mendoza, and the operational chief of the Local Police, Francisco Alcántara. Before the event, a floral tribute was paid to the city's patroness, Our Lady of Remedies.
The mayor thanked the daily work of the agents and specified the municipal commitment to "better means, with more resources," referring to vehicles, uniforms, and protective equipment. Barón linked this improvement to the safety of the professionals and the peace of mind of their families when they leave home to serve.
During his speech, he remembered the security forces, the Armed Forces, firefighters, and Civil Protection volunteers working in Ceuta, to whom he expressed his support in the face of what he described as "extreme" conditions and his hope that the city would return to normality. He also recalled the readiness of Antequera's forces to assist other towns during floods, fires, and other emergencies.
"The Town Hall must continue to support that work with better means, with more resources"
Police merit medals
The police merit medal with a white insignia was awarded to the agents who intervened in the fire on January 5 at the Plaza del Comercio, a disaster in which one person died and another was seriously injured. Local police officers Juan Manuel Cuesta Molina, Raúl Sánchez González, David Valle Alba, Gabriel López de Uralde Gámez, and Juan José del Pino Rodríguez, along with national police officers Julio Alberto López Melgarejo and Manuel Sánchez Rodríguez, were distinguished for rescuing a person who was trapped inside the building when the fire was already widespread, taking a significant risk for their own safety.
Also receiving medals were José Antonio Corrales Rodríguez and Laura Vanesa Martín Soriano for an operation on February 5 that led to the arrest of a person and the seizure of a considerable amount of drugs, sale tools, and money, contributing to the dismantling of a drug dealing point and putting its responsible party at the disposal of the judiciary.
Recognitions for career and citizen collaboration
The event included a public congratulation to Encarnación Peláez Montero, who is nearing retirement after more than 38 years of service. Officers Juan Antonio Real Muñoz and Antonio Armero Castillo were recognised for locating and assisting a father and his young son who had been lost for several hours without water in a wooded and steep area, which they managed to access despite fallen trees blocking the forest tracks. Additionally, Germán Torres Moreno was distinguished for his dedication and contribution to the administration and organisation tasks of the Headquarters.
The presentation of medals for dedication in service recognised Alejandro Grau Lebrón, Antonio Armero Castillo, Juan Antonio Real Muñoz, and Germán Torres Moreno for their 25 years of service; David Valle Alba for 20 years, and Jesús Carrasco Jiménez for 15 years of service.
In the citizen section, the Town Hall distinguished Lindomar Soares Da Silva, who on May 5 found a wallet containing over 1,000 euros and personal documentation in a street in the city and returned it to the Local Police to facilitate its return to the owner. The mayor personally thanked him for his gesture and stated that attitudes like his help define the model of the city.
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