Police Local opens doors on avenida Marítima

Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s Policía Local opened the second edition of “Más allá del deber” on Friday on the paseo Teniente Francisco Grandi Giroud along Avenida Marítima, part of a public program designed to let residents see the force’s units, vehicles and specialist equipment up close. City hall said the event would run in two sessions on May 15, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00, with exhibitions and workshops spread across the seafront site. The May 15 program followed a year in which Santa Cruz used the same “Más allá del deber” format to mark the 185th anniversary of the force, which the city says was created in 1840. In a municipal note published on January 10, 2025, the city described the Policía Local as the oldest police force in the Canary Islands and said commemorative activities would run through that year. (santacruzdetenerife.es) ### What could people see on Avenida Marítima? The May 14 city announcement listed police equipment displays, self-defense workshops, a children’s traffic park and live demonstrations by the canine unit and police motorcycle officers among the main attractions. The event was concentrated in one stretch of the waterfront so visitors could move between permanent displays and scheduled demonstrations. (santacruzdetenerife.es) Atlántico Hoy, citing the city’s program, reported that the activities also included drones, shooting simulations and family-oriented programming. The municipal statement said the aim was to combine static exhibitions with demonstrations by specific units. (santacruzdetenerife.es) ### Who put the event together? Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez said in the city statement that the open days were intended to bring the Policía Local closer to the public and show “de una manera cercana y participativa” the work officers do each day. He said the city was proud of a force that was “moderno, cercano, altamente preparado y comprometido con la seguridad, la prevención y el servicio público.” (atlanticohoy.com) Gladis de León, the councillor for citizen security, said the second edition expanded on last year’s program and was meant to open the force to society by showing not only vehicles and technology but also the officers’ training and specialization. She highlighted the preventive and educational side of the program, pointing to the road-safety circuit, drone demonstrations, self-defense workshops, canine displays and motorcycle exhibitions. (santacruzdetenerife.es) ### Why is this the second edition? The 2025 edition of “Más allá del deber” was staged on the Santa Cruz waterfront as part of ceremonies for the force’s 185th anniversary and the feast of the Virgen de Fátima, its patron saint. City hall said that program included motorcycles, drones, the canine unit, road-safety activities, self-defense sessions, virtual-reality activities and shooting practice. (santacruzdetenerife.es) The 2026 event kept the same name but shifted to a single Friday program on May 15, according to the city’s latest notice. The municipality’s homepage listed “Más allá del deber” in its agenda for May 15, 2026. ### How does the event fit into this week’s police calendar? (santacruzdetenerife.es) On May 13, 2026, Santa Cruz city hall said the Policía Local had awarded 46 silver medals and one gold medal during celebrations for its patron saint. The gold medal went to inspector María Nieves González Martín after 40 years of service, according to the municipal statement. (santacruzdetenerife.es) That ceremony came two days before the public open day on Avenida Marítima, linking the institutional observances of the force with the outward-facing program for residents and visitors. The city’s May 14 announcement said anyone interested in the force’s materials, skills and specialties could attend the sessions on Friday. (santacruzdetenerife.es) ### Where does the Policía Local say residents can learn more? The city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife maintains a Policía Local service page that outlines the force’s structure, including administrative, public-safety and traffic units, as well as its tourist protection service and lost-property office. Separate municipal pages describe district patrol work as a preventive service with mobile units deployed across the municipality. (santacruzdetenerife.es) The next public reference point is the city’s agenda and news pages, where the May 14 announcement and the May 15 event listing were published. City hall said access to “Más allá del deber” was open to the public at paseo Teniente Francisco Grandi Giroud on Avenida Marítima. (santacruzdetenerife.es) (santacruzdetenerife.es)