A scandal has erupted in Valladolid over the recruitment process for new municipal police officers. The organizers were forced to cancel one stage of the exam after discovering that one of the tasks completely matched material previously used by a private academy to prepare candidates for similar tests.
The issue concerns the second part of the theoretical exam, which took place on Wednesday. On that day, candidates were competing for 13 positions in the local police. The city administration, which includes representatives from the Partido Popular and VOX, found that the assignment was identical to a question created by one of the academies in August last year. Authorities have pledged to prepare a new version of the exercise soon, which all applicants will be required to take again.
In an official statement, the municipality noted that the task’s similarity to academy materials could jeopardize equal conditions for all candidates. The decision to cancel the test was made unanimously, to prevent any advantage for those who were already familiar with such questions.
The police recruitment process involves several stages. Candidates first undergo physical tests, followed by a theoretical section that includes a written exam and a practical assignment. It was during the second part of this theoretical section that an issue was identified: a portion of the assignment was almost identical to an exercise previously given to students at a local academy. Among those competing for the positions were both general applicants and those applying under special quotas for military personnel and staff from other agencies.
Organizers assured that all participant submissions remain sealed and under guard to rule out any suspicion of misconduct. A new round for a retake of the exam will be scheduled after the date is agreed upon at the next meeting, which is set for November 24.
So far, city officials have refrained from providing further comments on the situation, limiting themselves to an official statement. Meanwhile, the Comisiones Obreras union has expressed concern about the incident and demanded clarification from local authorities. The union believes such incidents undermine trust in the transparency and fairness of the selection process and fuel discontent among candidates who expect honest competition.
The scandal surrounding the exam in Valladolid has reignited the debate over the need for strict oversight of public service recruitment processes. Participants expect authorities to guarantee equal opportunities for all and to prevent similar incidents from happening again in the future.
