Marlaska appoints José Santafé as new Police Operations Chief: "Someone had to step up" after the scandal

The Interior Ministry has found a replacement for the hottest seat in the National Police. In record time and with the media glare still intense following the explosion of the ex-DAO case, Fernando Grande-Marlaska has closed the crisis with a surgical, yet symbolic, move. The chosen one is José Santafé Arnedo, until now the top police chief in the Balearic Islands, a low-profile commander, with a plaster on his lapel and his feet firmly planted in the daily grind. But who is this man brought in to put out the fire? And more importantly, why has he accepted the role when everyone knows it's a poisoned chalice?

A name for stability: José Santafé Arnedo

Forget the Madrid spotlight. The new Deputy Operational Director was forged in the Islands. Literally. Santafé, a Madrilenian born in 1965, joined the academy in 1990 and has since built a solid career, far from the whispers of the top brass. He has served as an inspector in Madrid, a commissioner in the Canary Islands, and, since July 2022, the top chief in the Balearics. He is, as they say in the force, "a company man through and through," but from the real front line, not the boardroom.

When asked whether his appointment warranted congratulations or condolences, he didn't hesitate: "Congratulations, always." With that blend of institutional loyalty and sense of duty that's becoming rare, he offered a telling phrase: "It's probably not the best moment, it's a delicate time, but in these situations, you have to step up, you can't stand on the sidelines." In short, he knew what he was walking into, and he still picked up the phone.

The spectre of the González case and Gemma Barroso's interim role

To understand the earthquake, you only need to rewind a few weeks. The previous DAO, José Ángel González, was shown the door after a Madrid court agreed to hear a complaint filed by a female police inspector for alleged sexual assault. The details of the complaint, as stated in the case file, sent a chill through the corridors of power: "non-consensual penetration" and phrases used to assert authority like "Hey, I'm the DAO." A burden too heavy even for an institution used to navigating tricky situations.

Since González's resignation on February 17th, the position had been held temporarily by Gemma Barroso, the Deputy Director General for Human Resources, who was precisely the one who contacted the complainant to offer police protection after learning of the events. Barroso did the dirty work, holding the fort while the succession was being prepared, but she was never in the running for the permanent post.

The new chief's immediate challenges

Santafé isn't walking into a quiet office. The scandal has left deep wounds and the background noise hasn't stopped. These are, broadly speaking, the challenges he will have to face immediately:

• Rebuilding internal trust: After his predecessor's departure under such circumstances, morale at the top is at rock bottom. He will need gestures that unify the team and banish the ghosts.
• Navigating the judicial storm: The investigation into the case is ongoing (on March 17th, the court summoned both the victim and the accused to testify) and any leak could reignite the fire.
• Distancing himself from the political profile: He will have to prove that his appointment isn't a sticking plaster, but a commitment to professionalism, and avoid being labelled as someone who will simply maintain the status quo.

Low profile, firm hand

So, what is expected of the new DAO on his first day? First and foremost, to heal the wound. Ministry sources suggest Marlaska valued his on-the-ground experience and his knowledge of the Judicial Police and Foreigners' affairs, sensitive areas if ever there were any. Furthermore, his track record in the Balearics has given him the experience to manage crises without fuss. He's not a theorist who writes manuals; he's a man who has led operations, who knows what a tricky night in a seaside station and a real-time border control check are all about.

The opposition, as expected, has already sharpened its tongue. In the People's Party, Alicia García was relentless in the Senate: she demanded Marlaska's resignation and asked him directly if "Zapatero is also going to impose the new DAO on you," a reference to the shadows of the previous government. But the reality is that the minister played it very safe this time. After considering other names, such as Commissioner María Piedad Álvarez de Arriba (currently at Telefónica and with a salary package difficult to match from the public sector), the scales tipped in favour of Santafé.

Watches and protocol: the detail that never fails

In these dizzying days, while the appointment was being finalised and the IT technicians were preparing the office, I recalled a conversation with a senior official a few months ago. He mentioned that in lightning-fast promotions, the details make all the difference. I don't mean the stripes on the uniform, but what you wear on your wrist. In an environment where personal image and precision are key, it's not unusual to see commanders with serious kit. In fact, if you look at the profiles of senior officials, you see a proliferation of pieces like the IX & DAO 2025 new 37mm Warrior automatic mechanical watch or the more classic Ix & dao Ipose 2024 new Retro Quartz Watch, models that have become popular among those who need reliability and understated style. Of course, none of that matters if there's no moral authority to wear it, and Santafé knows that his first challenge is precisely that: restoring the credibility of the office.

Immediate future: much more than a replacement

At 60 years old, Santafé faces the most difficult task of his career. He will have to deal with the judicial investigation into the case and, at the same time, reorganise a top brass that has been shaken. His predecessor was once described by the Director General of the Police himself as someone who, "if he didn't exist, you'd have to invent him." A phrase that today is dead weight in the new chief's rucksack.

For now, he leaves a void in the Balearics. He himself admitted it, with his phone ringing off the hook these days: "I can't talk," he repeated over and over. But now he will have to talk. And a lot. Next week promises to be a long one, with all eyes on that plenary session in Congress where Marlaska will have to defend not only his own actions, but also the credentials of the man on whom he has placed all his bets.

For now, the new DAO is already in post. He arrives without fanfare, with the determination of someone who knows his new role is not a prize, but a duty. We'll see if they let him get on with the job.