The city of Barcelona is a benchmark in its capacity to adapt to social and structural changes.
An example of this is Barcelona's city police force, the Guàrdia Urbana (GUB); throughout its more than 175-year history, it has been able to adapt to changing realities and new emerging problems, steadily remodelling its organisation not just to meet the city’s needs but also to guarantee and improve its security and positive community life.
The organisational model that enables the organisation’s constant adaptation to its environment is based on the cornerstones of local patrolling, territorial units and transparency, and is centred on two areas: anticipating problems and involving other institutions and associations through a cross-cutting approach to resolve such problems.
More specifically, the force's three goals are as follows:
- Promoting local patrolling and turning the guàrdia into a benchmark for city residents.
- Boosting the force as a benchmark for anticipating and coordinating emergencies and events.
- Involving city residents in the management of the public good and thereby strengthening social legitimacy, appreciation and confidence among city residents.