Law enforcement unions strengthen cross-border links

Unions representing law enforcement workers on both sides of the border yesterday signed an agreement to help bolster communication and improve relations between officers.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed, to applause, by representatives from the Gibraltar Police Federation (GPF), the Gibraltar General and Clerical Association (GGCA), the Sindicato Independiente de la Agencia Tributaria (SIAT) and the Sindicato Unificado de Policia (SUP) at the Police Club yesterday afternoon.

This is the first such agreement of this kind and is designed to operate for the benefit of the membership of the signatory organisations.

Henry Bautista, Chairman of the Gibraltar Police Federation, explained that a lack of communication between law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border prompted the GPF to make representations to the European Confederation of Police (EuroCOP).

Following a number of working meetings an agreement was reached between the four organisations to sign the Memorandum.
This, Mr Bautista explained, was on the basis of fostering respect, communication, cooperation and education.

“Many people don’t know how we work, we don’t know how they work so it’s a good platform for us to start and to foster a good working relationship,” he said.

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