Government & GSD row over support for Royal Gibraltar Police

The GSD has accused the Government of attempting to deflect attention from the Chief Minister’s conduct by shifting blame onto the Royal Gibraltar Police following the publication of the Openshaw Report.

The Government has rejected the GSD's claims, saying it continues to give full support to the Force.

The Opposition describes recent public comments by Fabian Picardo as unfair to the Force and its senior officers.

The GSD points to remarks made by the Chief minister that the Inquiry made more recommendations about the RGP than any other organisation, arguing this misrepresents the context of those recommendations.

Shadow Minister for Justice Joelle Ladislaus said the RGP had worked for years under difficult and under-resourced conditions.

She accused the Chief Minister of unfairly criticising the Force while failing to take responsibility for the his own conduct.

But the Government says its support for the Royal Gibraltar Police is reflected in what it describes as record investment, with funding having risen from around five million pounds in 2011 to fifteen million pounds today.

It also highlighted statutory recognition for the Gibraltar Police Federation and the decision to fund legal representation for officers involved in the inquest into the 2020 collision at sea.

It says criticism in the Openshaw Report was directed at the former senior management team, particularly over disclosure failures, and said acknowledging those findings was necessary for accountability, not an attack on the Force.