Foreign police join patrols in busy tourist areas of Spain’s Costa Blanca

THE POLICIA NACIONAL have welcomed their French and Italian counterparts once again this summer to patrol tourist areas of the Costa Blanca during the summer.

The European Commissaries Project started in 2008 and allows police forces to see how they operate in different countries.

Spain and France pioneered the initiative with Portugal, Italy, and Germany joining during subsequent years.

Officers from France’s Police Nationales and Italy’s Polizia di Stato will work with the Policia Nacional in Alicante and Benidorm.

Patrols will be mainly conducted on foot in areas with a higher influx of tourists to act as a deterrent against crime.

They will also help visitors from their home countries with translation and provide support in filing any crime notifications.

The French and Italian officers will wear their own service uniforms and their Spanish colleagues will also spend time in other European countries over the summer performing the same kind of role.