Navarra announces the 2026 Local Police Assistant course due to a lack of applicants

The Director General of Interior, Salvador Díez Zapata, has approved, through Resolution 6387E/2026 of August 3, the call for selection tests to complete the 2026 Local Police Assistant course and the subsequent obtaining of the corresponding qualification. The resolution is published in the Official Gazette of Navarra number 165, of August 21, 2026, on page 30244.

The measure responds to a pressing problem: “there not being sufficient qualified applicants for the hiring of local police assistants,” the department is proceeding to open a new selection process. The call is based on Article 24 of Foral Law 23/2018, of November 19, on the Police of Navarra, and is issued in the exercise of the powers conferred by Foral Decree 254/2023, of November 15, which establishes the organic structure of the Department of Interior, Public Service and Justice.

What the Local Police Assistant role allows

Foral Law 23/2018 enables local entities in Navarra that have a Local Police force—or have planned its creation—to temporarily hire personnel under an administrative regime under the designation of local police assistant. This hiring is appropriate when the service is affected by:

• Absenteeism or other causes of temporary absence.
• The filling of vacancies.
• Exceptional or eventual needs related to public security.

Local entities or associations that do not have a Local Police force may exceptionally hire assistants for support and the filling of vacancies, provided that a Local Police service exists and prior authorization is granted by the Government of Navarra through the department competent in Interior matters.

Qualification requirement and the role of the Security School

The regulation is explicit regarding the prerequisite: no one may be hired as a local police assistant who has not obtained a local police assistant qualification issued for that purpose by the Security and Emergencies School of Navarra. The school will only grant said qualification to those who pass the established tests, and the qualification may be obtained:

• By means of specific public calls carried out periodically by the Directorate General of Interior.
• During the selection procedure promoted by the local entity itself.

Scope of the resolution

Resolution 6387E/2026 approves the call for selection tests and its guidelines, orders its publication in the Official Gazette of Navarra, and provides for notification to the personnel expenditure control and payroll services, the economic and accounting management office of the Interior, the public information and registry office, and the designated members of the tribunal. The process is framed within the need to ensure the coverage of vacancies and public security reinforcements in Navarrese municipalities.

The call comes at a time when numerous city councils have expressed personnel needs and lack qualified applicants to fill them. With this course, the Government of Navarra seeks to expand the pool of available assistants, a key instrument for municipalities to agilely address vacancies and public security reinforcements without compromising the qualification requirement guaranteed by Foral Law 23/2018.

Source: Official Gazette of Navarra, number 165, August 21, 2026, section 1.2.2 (Competitive examinations and contests. Public Employment Offer), page 30244 (official reference: Resolution 6387E/2026).