The Catalan Ombudsman joins the CUP’s request, and proposes to create an office to inspect the Mossos d’Esquadra. Rafael Ribó considers the work of the Internal Affairs Unit “insufficient” and therefore advocates “a public and independent mechanism for monitoring, evaluation and investigation” of police actions, which he himself would chair.
As an example, Ribó has alluded to human rights commissions that have been implemented in some countries, as well as the role of the ombudsman in Northern Ireland. This body would be made up of “people with recognized capacity in the field of security, law and ethics”, with the aim of “supervising” the Catalan Corps.
In addition, during his speech this Friday during the study commission of the police model in Parliament, the Ombudsman has urged to “specify the framework for the use of force” by the Mossos, who “exercise a monopoly”, with the devices that the Catalan Chamber considers most appropriate: weapons, water cannons or their actions to disperse protests.
Despite the fact that the Catalan Police already has a Mediation Unit, Ribó has insisted on the need to create “alternative mechanisms” to prevent agents from resorting to the use of force. For this reason, after recalling that all actions of a uniformed officer are governed by the principles of opportunity, consistency and proportionality, he has called for “more training and means” so that the agents seek “an alternative resolution to conflicts.”
In October 2021, the CUP, which chairs the commission on the police model, has already proposed the creation of a sort of transparency office that can sanction the Mossos if they are considered to be committing bad practices. This was announced by the anti-system deputy Eulàlia Reguant, who advocated looking for an alternative mechanism “out of justice and with greater speed”.
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