Policía (Police) Law Enforcement Spain has three main police forces, two of which are attached to the Ayuntamiento.
The role of the police forces varies, although they also overlap. There is a high ratio of police officers to inhabitants in Spain and you will often see the local police around town. It is their role to deal with minor crimes such as traffic control and civil disturbances.
Policía Municipal (Local Police) are the local police or “policía local/municipal”. They wear blue uniforms and patrol in white or blue cars.
Guardia Civil “guardia urbana” (Civil Guard). The Guardia Civil wear green uniforms and may set up check points on the roads and patrol events and festivities. Don’t be alarmed if you see them armed and on the side of the road at a checkpoint. This is just the way it is.
Policía Nacional (National Police) – The Policía Nacional also wear a blue uniform but may well be armed with submachine guns! You may have come across the National Police if you have visited an Extranjería or Comisaria to apply for your NIE number or Residency. Link to website
Denuncia- Report a crime via the telephone
English- speaking Police telephone number to call in a crime report (Denuncia). The following crimes may be reported by telephone:
- Burglary and theft of vehicle, documents, items
- Burglary and theft at your home, residence, hotel
- Loss of documents and /or items
- Damages
Telephone: +34 90 210 2112 or 092 (within Spain) toll charges will apply
Reports can be made daily 09:00 – 21:00 via the telephone.
Denuncia- Report a crime online
Internet-based complaint service of the Spanish National Police. Online complaint service.
This service may NOT be used for violent or sexual crimes.
Denuncia – Complaint
Unfortunately, crime is a fact of life, no matter where in the world you live. Hopefully, you’ll never have to go through the process of filing a complaint (denuncia), but if you do, this post will walk you through the steps. In this post we walk you through the entire process and also provide English speaking contacts.