GSD highlights resourcing concerns at RGP, which Govt rejects 

The GSD has highlighted concerns over resourcing at the Royal Gibraltar Police, questioning the impact this could have on operational effectiveness and efficiency. 

In a press statement, the party said there has been no increase in funding over the course of the past five years, adding that the “RGP can’t continue to police on promises”. 

The GSD said it has raised this issue persistently, and has noted the resourcing concerns raised by RGP Commissioner, Owain Richards, during GBC’s Viewpoint programme. 

The GSD said the Commissioner’s comments are accurate and evidence that the party’s stance that the failure to provide further resources to the RGP has had and is having an impact on its operational effectiveness and efficiency. 

The party added that similar concerns had been expressed by the previous Commissioner.  

“The RGP have been put under immense pressure in recent years to keep us safe and carry out their responsibilities with a significantly depleted workforce, very limited resources in a world where the nature of policing is rapidly changing, and all from a building that is falling to pieces and is unfit for the demands of modern-day policing,” Shadow minister for Justice, Joelle Ladislaus, said.  

“At the last general election this Government promised that they would provide the RGP with a new station and even went as far as to say that the designs had been agreed and signed off.” 

“However, when I asked for an update on that project in Parliament in December 2024, the Government had resiled from that election promise and instead said that the existing building at New Mole House, which was not built for purpose, would be refurbished. To date, there appears to have been little progress in that regard.” 

“In other questions in Parliament, we’ve sought to highlight how the Community Policing Team and the Drug Squad were disbanded because of a lack of resources, prompting a need for the Police to have to make a choice between different areas of policing, and impacting other areas negatively as a result.” 

Mrs Ladislaus said that the Minister for Justice’s response to that, and to other difficult resourcing questions, has always been to deflect and point to operational independence as the reason behind the disbanding of those teams. 

“Simply put, it is for the Commissioner of Police, along with the RGP’s Command Team to take operational decisions to keep Gibraltar safe, but it’s for the Government to provide the financing to put them in a position to succeed,” she said. 

“The shortcomings in investment into policing have been obvious to the public, who have complained at length about the decrease in the presence of officers within our community in the past few years.” 

“Providing no increase in funding over the course of the past five years hinders the RGP’s capabilities and is just another example of a government that tells you what you want to hear but doesn’t follow through.” 

“A GSD Government would ensure we work with the RGP to provide further resources for its operational needs on a long-term basis.” 

GOVT REACTS 

In responding to the GSD, No.6 Convent Place said the Opposition’s criticisms ignored “record investment” in the RGP and contradicted the party’s statements on public expenditure. 

No.6 said the GSD should be held to account for claiming “overspending” while simultaneously demanding better public services.  

It said the figures showed an increase of nearly 70% in funding for the police since 2011, “well in excess of inflation”. 

In 2011, the police budget stood at some £10.5m, while in 2026 it had risen to over £17.1m.  

No.6 said the GSD had ignored “the reality that this Government has prioritised the safety of our streets and the welfare of our officers”.  

“This is not just a marginal increase; we have increased the funding available to the RGP by 70%,” it said in a statement. 

“Even when adjusting for inflation, the GSD’s level of investment in 2011 was anaemic compared to the resources we provide today.” 

“When the GSD complains generally about ‘too much money’ being spent, they are effectively complaining about the record amounts being spent on the tools, technology, and manpower that keep Gibraltar safe.” 

“That is how we are supporting the ‘Thin Blue Line’.” 

“While the GSD remains obsessively focused on the nuances of the Inquiry report and looking into the past, this Government is looking forward.” 

No.6 said the Government was “firmly on the side of police officers on the beat”, providing them with resources to do their job “effectively and safely”. 

It noted too that the Government had funded the recent defence by the Gibraltar Police Federation in the inquest into the collision deaths at sea. 

No.6 said the Government had “absolute confidence” in the new Senior Management Team of the RGP and was “ready and willing” to work with them to ensure that the investment in the force translated into “even higher standards” of policing for the community.  

“The public must ask themselves: if the GSD believes we are spending too much, which part of the police budget would they cut? Would they return the RGP to the £10.5 million levels of 2011?” No.6 asked in the statement. 

“Those are the only real questions here and they should be addressed to the GSD.” 

“The GSD’s obsession with political point-scoring over the Inquiry Report shows they have lost sight of what matters to the average citizen.” 

“We choose to invest in our people and our police.” 

“The GSLP/Liberal Government makes no apologies for spending the money necessary to ensure Gibraltar remains one of the safest places in the world.” 

In the statement, No.6 also noted that the GSD’s concerns had been raised by Ms Ladislaus as Shadow Minister for Justice, but that she did not attend the GBC Viewpoint last week which addressed issues related to the justice portfolio. 

The Opposition was instead represented on the programme by GSD MP Damon Bossino. 

“That is the second time Mr Bossino has attended a Viewpoint instead of the relevant shadow member of the GSD, the first being in respect of matters related to tourism when Mr Origo was not fielded by the GSD,” No.6 said. 

“It would appear that the GSD has ‘no confidence’ in Ms Ladislaus and Mr Origo to deliver their arguments effectively on the national broadcaster.”