In February of this year, officers from the Economic Crimes Unit unexpectedly appeared at the Granada police headquarters. Their interest was focused on the offices of the leadership and their closest associates. Several months later, the investigation extended to the human resources department of the city administration. At that point, no one yet realized just how deeply fraud had taken root in the police hiring process.
Now that the court has lifted the secrecy order, the scale is staggering: 43 people are suspected of manipulating the distribution of 79 vacancies across four competitions for police positions in Granada and two neighboring municipalities. Among the suspects are the former head of the city police, his deputy, and a group of trusted staff, some of whom held positions in the local police union. Investigators believe they put together a system that allowed pre-selected candidates—mostly children, relatives, and close friends of current officers—to get hired.
To do this, the group staffed the examination boards with their own people, leaked the theoretical and practical test questions in advance, and also controlled the selection of the psychologist responsible for interviews and testing. As a result, most of the competition winners were linked to those running the scheme. The entire process was built to eliminate chance and guarantee a predetermined outcome.
Investigation expands, new suspects emerge
In addition to 13 police officers, the case also involves a hired psychologist, an executive, and the head of human resources at the Granada administration. The investigation covers two major competitive exams in the provincial capital—in 2019 and 2022—as well as similar procedures in Albolote and Algarinejo. As a result, several more police officers from other cities and members of examination committees have been added to the list of suspects.
Court documents point to a range of possible crimes: from abuse of office and corruption to leaking confidential information and forming a criminal organization. Of the 43 suspects, 20 are organizers and commission members; the rest are candidates accused of taking part in illegal schemes to obtain public sector jobs.
Consequences and next steps
After the first searches, the police chief was forced to resign. City authorities declared their full support for the investigation and willingness to cooperate with the court. All suspects will soon be summoned to testify. In addition, affected candidates will have the opportunity to share their side of the story.
This scandal is not the only blow to the reputation of Granada’s police. A separate probe is underway into several officers who, according to investigators, illegally accessed restricted databases to pass on information for personal reasons. All of this raises questions about the transparency and integrity of the local law enforcement authorities.
