María Carmen Angulo, the councilor for Citizen Participation and Attention, Local Police, Firefighters, Civil Protection, and Transport, explained that while a specific breakdown by type of intervention is not available, the overall reduction is significant. Police actions range from rescuing abandoned animals to mediating noise complaints or managing pet waste in public areas.
The councilor emphasized that this improvement is directly linked to the efforts of the 'Romeo' agents, an internal nickname for officers operating in plain clothes. Their primary goal is to combat the incivility of those who fail to pick up their pets' excrement, a practice that affects the aesthetics and hygiene of neighborhoods such as Peñamefécit and San Felipe.
“"People in such vulnerable situations are usually warned, but they are not sanctioned unless they are repeat offenders."
The chief of the Jaén Local Police, Luis Ojeda, acknowledged the difficulty of catching offenders in the act, despite specific patrols. He noted that sometimes offenders are elderly individuals who struggle to bend down, and they are warned before sanctions, which range from 150 to 400 euros, are applied, depending on attitude and repeat offenses.
In addition to sanctions, councilor Angulo highlighted the importance of awareness campaigns, including the installation of informative signs in parks and collaboration with associations. She also called for greater citizen involvement in proper waste disposal, mentioning the opening of trash bags to identify culprits and warnings issued to establishments that leave waste outside containers or at inappropriate times.
Beyond excrement, most interventions are due to unleashed dogs. Ojeda reminded that all dogs must be leashed, regardless of breed. Those considered dangerous must also wear a muzzle and stay within one meter of the owner if they weigh over 20 kilograms. Calls regarding barking dogs left alone at home also account for a significant number of interventions, where 'Romeo' agents attempt to mediate without uniforms to avoid appearing coercive.
Finally, the availability of dog training courses at the Municipal Popular University was mentioned, and residents of Jaén with pets were urged to show greater commitment to keeping the streets clean.
