The Calpe Local Police, in coordination with the Department of Public Safety, is working on the creation of a new unit specialising in the protection of children and adolescents, which will operate under the name of the IRIS Unit. This is a community service whose main objective will be to prevent risky behaviour among minors, improve coexistence and act as a bridge between families, educational centres and social and judicial resources.
The future IRIS Unit, inspired by the mythological figure that symbolises the end of storms and the rainbow as a return to calm, will be made up of officers with specific training in mediation and care for minors. These guardian or mediation officers will be able to act both in uniform and in plain clothes and will carry out their work mainly in the school and family environment, maintaining a direct and ongoing relationship with management teams, counsellors, parents' associations and municipal social services.
Their functions include the prevention of juvenile delinquency and anti-social behaviour through educational and awareness-raising activities; mediating and resolving conflicts in schools and families, intervening in situations such as bullying, disruptive behaviour or truancy; protecting minors in coordination with social, educational and judicial services, ensuring their well-being and safety; and early detection of risky behaviour, social vulnerability or possible processes of violent radicalisation in the school environment.
The launch of the IRIS Unit represents a step forward in the municipality's community policing model, incorporating a point of reference for children and adolescents that allows them to express their concerns in a safe environment and receive professional support. The Calpe Town Council is thus reinforcing its commitment to prevention, coexistence and comprehensive care for children and young people, establishing new coordination mechanisms between the Local Police and the other municipal services involved in the protection of minors.