Aside from his harsh reflections on his experience of 17A 2017 on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Manel Bosch answers questions about Barcelona City Council as a CSIF union delegate.
What can you tell us about the book, “Your Soldier”?
“Tu Soldado” is an intimate crime novel that combines real and fictional events, narrated in the first person, where the reader will learn about the experience of one of the police officers who was involved in the attack in Barcelona in August 2017; Manel Bosch. What happened to him in the weeks following the attack, his introspection, his internal battles and intrusive thoughts within his day-to-day work, encountering different problems that occur and that some citizens are unaware of and others do not want to see in a city as important as Barcelona. Police procedures and their jargon, prostitution, drugs, and the underworld of Barcelona.
What is the symptom of “burn out” applied to the Police?
The World Health Organization considers burnout syndrome to be an occupational disease due to the characteristics that motivate its appearance. This disorder causes emotional exhaustion in workers, increasing work stress and leading to a feeling of passivity, neglect and inefficiency.
Applied to our profession, to the Police-Urban Guard and answering to you as a CSIF union delegate, we find that after many years of demanding improvements in the provision of operational materials, improvements in the organization, improvements in the operational procedures and in the regulations, the agents have to work under stress levels that can cause in them, for example, the following symptoms: anxiety attacks, exhaustion, physical and emotional wear and tear, depression and a feeling of brutal helplessness in the face of the constant increase in crime levels.
To give an example of the current situation we find ourselves in, I would like to inform you that in June 2015, the ALERT level was declared at 4 out of 5: HIGH RISK OF ATTACK. Nine years have already passed… nine years in which the political leaders and those in charge of security in our country have had enough time to apply the necessary measures to lower the ALERT level to at least LEVEL 3.
It is impossible for a police officer to be able to carry out his job with that level of tension for so many years.
I fully understand that it will take time to implement new measures in terms of personnel, material resources, changes in legislation, etc. But NINE YEARS have passed and we are still at the same ALERT LEVEL.
This is a clear example where we can apply Burnout Syndrome to all police officers.
Why did you decide to write the book?
During 2017, three very important and media-driven events took place in the city of Barcelona, some of which gave a negative image of the police forces and others where citizens realized that they can count on us (the police).
The smells, sounds, and images of the attack caused my mind to spin uncontrollably for days afterwards. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had experienced, what I had done, and the people I hadn’t been able to help.
Weeks after the attack, I thought that the only way out was to try to focus my thoughts, so I grabbed my computer and started writing down everything that came to my head, everything I experienced during the attack.
After a few months, once I had written everything about the experience of the attack, when I was able to partially control my thoughts, I thought that society had to know what really happened on that fateful day, explained from the inside, explained from the perspective of a public servant.
That’s when I decided to write this crime novel adding police actions that we find so that society is informed about
situations that they may think do not occur and inform them that with each passing day the city is becoming less safe.
What would you ask Mayor Jaume Collboni now?
The same as with the rest of the politicians. I ask them to be brave and to make decisions that are really important for the citizens in what I consider to be the three basic pillars of a modern and advanced society: Health, Security and Education.
And that, although it may be a utopia for a politician, they should stop thinking about the political benefits that their decisions may have and listen to the experts in Education, Health and Security. Let us not repeat what happened in December 2016 when all city councils were advised to place bollards in tourist areas and those responsible at that time in Barcelona City Council ignored it and months after the attack did see the need to place them. What had changed? If we were really still at ALERT LEVEL 4, the political benefits?
What is the focus of the book?
I would like to tell you that the novel’s focus is more on a “national” than a local level, even though it is set in the city of Barcelona. The cases I describe in the novel are situations that can happen in any city in our country.
What do you think about the city now?
I must tell you that of course crime has gotten worse in recent years, leaving the years of the pandemic uncounted. The statistics confirm this.
In my opinion, we have to demand responsibility from our politicians and from the people who take on the positions where decisions must be made to reverse the current situation of insecurity.
The budget of the Ministry of Equality has been increased from 51 million in 2017 to 573 million in 2023. The victims in 2023 were 58 women, of whom 15 WERE AWARE OF THE COMPLAINT BY THE ADMINISTRATIONS.
After the victim takes a big step in reporting her situation, she trusts the Administration and ends up being murdered. Why did we increase the budget? Where did that money go? Not to save lives.
We cannot fail them, as it must be difficult for the victim to make such an important decision and the Administrations have not been up to their task.
And finally, what politician or official resigned after the attack? Who takes responsibility, for example, in terms of security, both at local, regional and state level, for the increase in insecurity? If crime figures increase every year, someone will have to resign, right? Or is it normal that crime figures increase every year and no one takes responsibility?
Ultimately, my goal is to try to make society open its eyes to the situation of insecurity we are experiencing, to stop being complacent and to ask for explanations from those who, in theory, have the responsibility for which we have democratically elected them.
How do you remember August 17, 2017?
On a professional level, I remember it as the hardest day I have ever experienced. I was aware that every step I took towards the van could be my last, but I had to continue to try to subdue the person responsible for the attack.
The metallic smell of the wounded’s blood, the cries for help, the sirens of police vehicles and ambulances, the feeling of chaos and of not having control over the environment, are still very present in my mind today.
On a personal level, a void of disbelief about our society was created within me. And I promised myself that I had to do something, I had to do my bit, and that is why I decided to write the novel “Tu Soldado”.
