The specialized unit of the Advanced Response Group (GRA) of the Santa Pola Local Police played a key role in the security deployment for the 2026 Patron Saint Festivities, which took place between August 31 and September 8. Over nine days, the GRA conducted about twenty direct interventions, three arrests, and numerous preventive checks, ensuring public order amidst a large influx of people in the streets, temporary bars (barracas), and festive venues.
Police sources highlight that the coordinated action and constant presence of the GRA in high-concentration areas, such as the barracas, the bus station, and the central district, were crucial for anticipating incidents and acting swiftly when necessary, thereby reinforcing the sense of security among residents and visitors.
The operation's results include 9 reports and citations, 3 arrests, the seizure of 6 bladed weapons, and 4 interventions related to drugs. Additionally, traffic controls were conducted, leading to two administrative citations for driving with a foreign permit while being a resident in Spain, and vehicle and person checks were reinforced in Gran Alacant and the bus station.
The unit intervened in several altercations and fights in the vicinity of the municipal barracas and «Els Llaganyosos», as well as at the bus station and on Margarita Bascuñana street. Notable incidents included an arrest for assault, disobedience, and resistance to authority, and three citations for public disorder at a popular barraca. A woman was arrested for disturbing public order on September 3.
One of the most significant actions was the location and seizure of several bladed weapons near the barracas, including a knife, a folding knife, and a utility knife. Pyrotechnic devices were also preemptively removed. Checks at the bus station led to the seizure of narcotic substances on four occasions.
The GRA collaborated closely with the regular shift of the Local Police and the Civil Guard, enhancing security during fireworks displays and the night mascletà. It also assumed the interventions of the usual service between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM on one day, responding to an incident of threats between individuals, a mediation for a neighborhood dispute, and assisting in the apprehension and subsequent medical attention of a detained man.
The GRA's constant presence at static posts and patrol rounds proved to be a fundamental tool for deterring and preventing incidents. The overall assessment confirms the group's key role in the citizen security strategy of the Ayuntamiento de Santa Pola, contributing to the normal and secure development of the festivities.
