More civic agents to strengthen coexistence in the most touristy areas

The civic agents service will be reinforced this summer with 52 more members, reaching a total of 118 people, almost double that of last year, with greater presence in high-traffic areas such as La Rambla. The program, funded with over 6.5 million euros from tourism taxes, aims to make visitors co-responsible in the use of public spaces and strengthen the enforcement of the new coexistence ordinance.

This increase comes as a result of the incorporation, at the end of this March, of 33 new civic agents, assigned to high-traffic areas (EGA) such as Sagrada Família, La Rambla, and Turó de la Rovira. In addition, the 19 civic agents around Park Güell-who joined last summer through BSM with an investment of about 1.18 million-have also been retained.

Of the remaining 66 civic agents, about ten were already serving in the EGAs, as well as at other points in the city such as Sant Antoni, Barceloneta, or Montjuïc. With this reinforcement, the service will reach 118 people this summer.

The role of civic agents

Civic agents work to improve people's quality of life by ensuring good coexistence and civic behavior on the city's streets. Uniformed, they are deployed in morning and afternoon shifts, including weekends and public holidays, to inform, request, and warn people on public roads whose behavior may disturb the functioning of the city, whether they are residents or tourists. If necessary, they can also report this to the Barcelona Urban Guard (GUB) so that appropriate sanctions can be applied.

The staff, who receive specific training before starting their duties on the street, not only use education to correct behaviors, but also record what they observe throughout their shift. Their tasks include mobility control, providing various types of information, proper waste management, or mediation to prevent behaviors such as feeding animals in public spaces or walking dogs off-leash.