María Pilar Callejero has taken office this Wednesday as the new provincial chief commissioner of the National Police in Lleida, in an event held at the Spanish Government's sub-delegation and attended by more than a hundred people, including institutional representatives and police commanders. Her appointment also means she is the first woman to hold this position in the Lleida demarcation.
Callejero replaces Commissioner Antonio Royo, who was dismissed last December shortly after his appointment, after a 2003 conviction for sexual harassment became known. The replacement places a commander with a career in the force since 1990, who began her professional career in Catalunya, at the head of the provincial police station.
First woman at the head of the provincial police station
Born in Zaragoza, the new chief commissioner has taken office with a message focused on the continuity of police work and institutional coordination. In her speech, she defended the need to strengthen cooperation between police forces and to respond to current challenges with a perspective that combines effectiveness and social judgment.
"I come to contribute and to listen" María Pilar Callejero, chief commissioner of the National Police in Lleida
The new provincial head has pointed out among the challenges of her term the management of immigration and adaptation to a demanding context with limited resources. She has also advocated for action based not only on legal criteria, but also on human and justice values.
Institutional backing at the event
During the swearing-in ceremony, the senior chief of the National Police in Catalonia, Manuel Rodríguez, focused on the advancement of women in command positions within the force. He stressed that three of the four Catalan provincial police stations are currently headed by women.
The delegate of the Spanish Government in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto, claimed the "female power" within the National Police and took advantage of his speech to highlight the work of the corps in Catalonia in areas such as the fight against repeat offending, organized crime, and drug trafficking. In the case of Lleida, he recalled recent operations linked to marijuana cultivation and human trafficking.
The mayor of Lleida, Fèlix Larrosa, also intervened, who celebrated Callejero's appointment and offered institutional collaboration in the face of the security challenges facing the city and its surroundings.
Career and succession at a sensitive moment
The arrival of Callejero closes the relay opened after the departure of Antonio Royo, removed from office in December after a conviction issued in 2003 became known. The new provincial chief thus assumes the direction of the National Police in Lleida at a time of special institutional attention on the command structure.
With this appointment, three of the four provincial police stations in Catalonia are under female leadership, a fact that several of those present placed as a reflection of the growing weight of women in command responsibilities within the corps. In Lleida, the new phase begins with a message of coordination, listening, and continuity in the police response to the main security fronts.