The meeting, led by the government delegate in Madrid, concluded with the announcement of a "comprehensive plan" and an increase in police presence in the area. An increase of between eight and ten percent in the local police station's staff is expected.
“"It is a huge mistake to neglect one's responsibilities to address complex issues."
The delegate advocated for addressing the situation from a "multi-causal" perspective, regretting the absence of the Community of Madrid from the meeting. He stressed that the problems in Parque Paraíso cannot be solved solely with more police, but require social and health measures to tackle homelessness, addictions, and mental health issues.
“"Even if we had a police officer under every tree, a police officer behind every bush in Parque Paraíso, we would not solve the problem of vulnerable people, the problem of social exclusion, the problem of homelessness, or the problem of addictions."
Despite an increased police presence in the district in recent years, leading to a significant reduction in crime rates, problems persist. Therefore, a "comprehensive plan" with actions from all areas has been requested from the Madrid administrations. The City Council and the Community are expected to report on their ongoing or planned actions to create a joint document and convene a new meeting within a month, including residents and social entities.
Neighborhood associations present at the meeting also agreed on the need for solutions beyond policing, linking the deterioration of Parque Paraíso to the presence of drug addicts, homeless individuals, and those in social exclusion, who require specific attention from social and health services.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Madrid, at a commemorative event for Europe Day on May 8, again held the government delegate responsible for public safety and the situation in Parque Paraíso. He criticized the meeting for only taking place after a serious incident and reproached the lack of response to previous letters from the district's councilor-president.
The Madrid mayor asserted that the City Council already had a specific plan for the park, but that a fundamental part, public safety, falls under the central Government's jurisdiction. He urged the delegate to "deploy the National Police," a measure now promised with the staff increase.
