The operation for the Málaga Fair combines 252 extra agents, 16 cameras, and drones. Surveillance is maintained 24 hours a day at the Real Cortijo de Torres.
The Local Police of Málaga has activated a comprehensive security device for the Málaga Fair, which combines extraordinary and ordinary service agents, specialized units, and aerial surveillance. The operation, coordinated with the National Police, includes 252 agents on extraordinary duty, in addition to the 255 officers covering ordinary service in the various districts of the city.
The inspector of the Local Police, Faustino Aguilar, detailed that planning began approximately a month before the Fair and is structured around thirty different services, distributed between the Cortijo de Torres and the Centre. In total, the device represents around 20,000 extra hours and allows for the daily deployment of between 250 and 270 additional agents to ensure safety during the Fair days.
Among the units deployed is the cavalry unit, with between eight and ten agents working from 12:00 to 20:00, complemented by National Police officers, reaching nearly twenty mounted agents. During the night, surveillance is reinforced with 32 motorcyclists, primarily responsible for perimeter closures and assisting in managing various parking areas. Plainclothes officers are also involved, particularly focused on supervising the booths and ensuring compliance with regulations. According to Aguilar, "access must be free, they should be free of charge, and they should prevent the sale of alcohol to minors."
Technology has become a fundamental piece of the device. This year, the Málaga Fair has 16 surveillance cameras installed at various points to monitor the entire Real, in addition to two drone teams from the Local Police and resources provided by the National Police. The cameras allow monitoring areas such as bus and taxi stops, the drinking area, attractions, and booths. The drones, on the other hand, provide a quick overview of the area to prevent or prepare for possible incidents. "We have a certain mobility and flexibility to fly it when it suits us best," Aguilar points out. One of the teams was already deployed during an incident at a booth, which allowed for locating and recording what happened, and these images are subsequently used to prepare reports and clarify the facts.
The device remains active 24 hours a day at the Real. Agents are distributed in morning shifts from 7:00 to 15:00; afternoon shifts from 15:00 to 23:00; and a night shift that starts at 23:00 and ends around 8:00, although depending on incidents, they may last a bit longer. Participation in these services for police officers is optional, and they can carry out their usual shift and then add another eight-hour shift. In addition to the Real, the Local Police maintains personnel in various districts and in units such as the Accident Investigation and Reports Group (GIA), especially relevant during festivities when travel and alcohol consumption increase.
Coordination between bodies is centralized in the CECOP, a joint room from which security cameras and images captured by drones are monitored. Any incident affecting one of the bodies can be immediately communicated to the other to request support, medical assistance, or other resources. "We have something very important, which is the CECOP, a joint room where all the cameras are visualized," Aguilar emphasizes.
Despite the workload generated by the Fair, the inspector assures that the first days are proceeding normally with few incidents. "In recent hours, the media has reported some incidents, although without much severity," he notes. The device will remain active until the end of the Fair, which concludes on August 24.
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