Crisis in Spanish Police Following Dismissal of Operational Chief for Sexual Assault

The Spanish interior ministry is facing an unprecedented image and structural crisis within the ranks of the National Police and local authorities. A pivotal moment was the resignation of José Ángel González, known as "Jota", who until recently served as the Director Adjunto Operativo. González resigned after a court accepted a lawsuit for an alleged rape of a female officer. The victim's lawyer, Jorge Piedrafita, reported that after the case became public, more women came forward, accusing the former chief of abuses, including harassment and the dismissal of a security worker who was allegedly a witness to his private meetings with "the powerful of this world". Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska admitted before a parliamentary committee that protective mechanisms had failed, given that the victim chose the judicial route over internal procedures. He announced an audit and strengthened protections for whistleblowers. Meanwhile, the situation is becoming more complicated in the regions. In Alcalá de Henares, Commissioner Luis Antonio Moreno Pascual resigned, suspected of sexual aggression against a policewoman and a caretaker. In Lleida, the police are seeking a replacement for Antonio José Royo Subías, who was removed from his position after just six days when the media reminded the public of his 2003 conviction for harassing a subordinate. Spanish uniformed services have been subject to strict ethical codes for years, but the centralized command structure and strong hierarchy have often sparked controversy in the context of lower-ranking female officers reporting abuses. Simultaneously, a dispute is escalating between trade unions. The Sindicato Profesional de la Policía (SPP) is calling for restraint and for disputes to be resolved through the courts, not the media, emphasizing the importance of the presumption of innocence. Controversy also surrounds the case of Commissioner Óscar San Juan, the former "right-hand man" of González, who, despite suspicions of helping to intimidate the victim, was appointed head of a brigade in the scientific police. In the background of these events, a political debate is progressing in Madrid, where the opposition is demanding explanations regarding the appointment of individuals with criminal pasts to prominent positions. „Es evidente que algo falla si la víctima no recurrió a ellos” (It is evident that something is wrong if the victim did not turn to them) — Fernando Grande-Marlaska