A municipal policeman was hit by a lorry whilst controlling traffic on a pedestrian crossing used by school children on Avenida Federico García Lorca in Salobreña.

This pedestrian cross is used by children on their way to the Colegio Mayor Zaragoza.

The police union, SIPA, said this incident was just another symptom provoked by the lack of equipment, including patrol vehicles, in Salobreña.

The union points out that for the last few months policemen have been forced to use an unofficial car, which lacks equipment for directing traffic (torch batons, etc). Neither does the car have sirens and blue-flashing lights needed when attending to an emergency.

Furthermore, the municipal police, according to the union, do not have one functioning walkie-talkie between them, meaning that the only way to communicate in an emergency is by using mobile phones.

Although these deficiences have been plaguing the force for many months, today’s incident was the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ because in this road accident involving one of their number, they had no patrol car with warning lights to warn motorists, nor radio communications to reach and coordinate with the police control room.

The police union is calling for the Mayor and Vice Mayor to resign over this.

Lastly, the policeman is recovering in hospital.

(News: Salobrena, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)