Residents and tourists in Spain can contact the Policia Nacional or Guardia Civil, share their location and report an emergency through a free government mobile application.
AlertCops provides a direct and discreet communication channel with Spain’s state security forces.
It is designed for anyone who is the victim of, or witness to, a crime or dangerous situation and can be particularly useful when someone cannot safely make a telephone call.
The app sends the user’s location to the nearest participating police control centre, helping officers identify which patrol is closest.
It can be downloaded free of charge for Android devices through Google Play and for iPhones through Apple’s App Store. It is available in English and several other languages.
The Interior Ministry describes AlertCops as a fast and discreet service that complements the emergency telephone numbers 112, 091 and 062.
What can be reported?
The main screen features icons representing different incidents, allowing users to identify the type of help they require without writing a lengthy explanation.
Options include theft, robbery or assault; physical aggression or fighting; sexual assault; gender violence; hate crime; illegal occupation of a property; violent radicalisation and animal abuse.
There is also an accessible emergency function for people who are deaf or have hearing or speech difficulties.
After selecting the relevant category, users can communicate with officers through the in-app chat.
Photographs, videos, audio recordings and locations can be sent to help police understand what is happening. An automatic translation service allows users and officers to communicate in more than 100 languages.
Foreign residents and tourists can therefore use the service without needing to speak fluent Spanish.
Police can see your location
One of AlertCops’ most useful features is its ability to send the user’s geographical position directly to the police.
This can be particularly important if the person does not know the name of the street, is lost in the countryside or cannot safely explain where they are.
Police can use the information to locate the nearest available patrol and may ask for further details through the chat.
The app can also send official safety messages to people within a particular area, including warnings about emergencies, missing people, pickpockets or other local risks.
How to register
After downloading AlertCops, users must register their telephone and provide the requested personal identification details.
The system sends an SMS verification code to complete the registration process.
Users should allow location access and notifications if they want to receive nearby security warnings and make full use of the geolocation functions.
It is sensible to download and register before an emergency happens rather than attempting to create an account during a dangerous situation.
Does it replace a formal police report?
AlertCops is primarily an alert and communication system. It lets you tell police immediately about a suspected crime or emergency and can trigger a police response.
However, sending an alert should not always be treated as a substitute for filing and signing a formal complaint, known in Spain as a denuncia.
Depending on the incident, victims may still be required to attend a police station, provide a statement and formally confirm their allegations.
Users should preserve photographs, messages, receipts, medical reports and any other evidence connected to the incident.
