The city of Gandia was yesterday the venue for the 1st Tutor Agents Meeting of the Valencian Community, bringing together professionals dedicated to the protection of children and adolescents. The conference, held at the Gandia Campus of the Universitat Politècnica de València, served to highlight the work of the Tutor Agent Unit of the Gandia Local Police, a model recognized for its prevention, mediation, and proximity.
The inaugural event was attended by the mayor, José Manuel Prieto; the councilor for Protection, Security, and Coexistence, Lydia Morant; the chief commissioner of the Local Police, José Martínez Espasa; and the president of the National Association of Tutor Agents, Rafael Covas Femenía. Prieto expressed the honor it was for Gandia to be a pioneer in this initiative, reinforcing the figure of the tutor agent as an increasingly necessary police service.
The mayor emphasized Gandia's safety and coexistence, attributing them to the coordinated work of security forces and the recent decrease in crime. He highlighted the reinforcement of the Proximity Police, the incorporation of new officers, and the implementation of 38 video surveillance cameras as measures to consolidate this trend. Prieto stressed that the citizen protection model relies on the tutor agent, describing it as a key element with a more pedagogical than coercive approach.
For her part, Lydia Morant highlighted the importance of the meeting for improving coordination among agents from different municipalities and sharing best practices. She praised the daily collaboration of the Tutor Agent Unit with educational centers, families, and specialized services, emphasizing prevention and proximity as fundamental tools for early detection of risk situations.
During the 2025-2026 academic year, the Tutor Agent Unit carried out 789 actions, managed 289 school absenteeism notifications referred to social services, and delivered 289 training workshops in the city's educational centers. Additionally, it conducted 107 specific checks and intervened in 24 incidents involving minors, preparing 71 child protection reports.
This model, recognized with two national awards for its prevention, mediation, and proximity, operates both on the streets and in classrooms, where agents deliver workshops on road safety, first aid, gender violence, addiction, and cyberbullying. Coordination with educational centers, social services, and families has led to improved early detection of risks and a significant reduction in severe school absenteeism cases.
José Manuel Prieto concluded by stating that tutor agents represent the most humane and supportive face of the Local Police, and that their work, often discreet, helps save lives and shape futures, reiterating the municipal commitment to dialogue and prevention to ensure safe environments for young people.
