To call the Emergency Services, dial 112 and specify Fire (bomberos), Police (policía) or Ambulance (ambulancia).
3 TYPES OF SPANISH POLICE
There are three different branches of police in Spain - the Municipal Police (Policía Local), the Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and the National Police (Policía Nacional) - all of whom are usually armed.
The Municipal Police - operating on a local level (and controlled by town and city councils), these direct the traffic, issue parking tickets, deal with noise pollution, local bylaws and any local squabbles and minor crimes. Their uniforms are blue, with white chequered hat bands, and they patrol in white or blue cars. Direct phone: 092
The Civil Guard - easily recognisable in their green uniforms, you will mainly see them patrolling the highways on motorbikes (in pairs) or in cars, catching and breathalysing speeding motorists or helping those in trouble. They also deal with border and port controls. Direct phone: 062
The National Police - these are the ones who deal with the most serious crimes. They are mostly in plain clothes but uniforms, when worn, are blue. They also document and control the foreigners arriving in Spain (and therefore deal with illegal immigration) - and it is to the foreigners' (extranjeros) department of the National Police Station (comisaría de policía) that you apply for Residency. Direct phone: 091
