Lisbon, June 27, 2024 (Lusa) - The main union structures of the PSP and GNR police forces emphasised on Thursday that the diagnosis of a lack of staff and resources made by the General Inspection of Internal Administration (IGAI) confirms the warnings of recent years and called for more action from the government.
Reacting to the report released today by the body that oversees police activity, the president of the Police Professionals' Trade Union Association (ASPP), Paulo Santos, and the president of the Guard Professionals' Association (APG), César Nogueira, said they were not surprised by the conclusions, adding that they were the result of years without the necessary investment and budget execution in the face of shortages.
"Everything is very weak regarding staff, conditions and instruments. We think it's good that this report has come out and highlighted what the ASPP has been saying for a long time: a set of situations that are getting more complicated with each passing day, an increase in PSP missions without the necessary resources, and that we need to understand if this government is going to follow through with concrete political options," Paulo Santos told Lusa.
Considering that "the police stations are not working" at the moment, the ASPP leader called for "concrete steps" from the government to "build a path" that raises the dignity of the careers and working conditions of the Public Security Police (PSP), questioning what has been done with the funds announced in the past for the requalification of structures and resources.
"The [previous] minister José Luís Carneiro often spoke of an investment of €607 million to recover structures and equipment. Now we're asking where that evidence is and what the results of those announcements are," he said, continuing: "This government is now in a position to make up for the mistakes made by the last government. It seems obvious to me.
César Nogueira recalled the law on programming infrastructure and equipment for the security forces to call for a higher rate of implementation of the funds, also expressing concern about the lack of maintenance of facilities, the "flagrant" deterioration of the National Republican Guard's (GNR) cars and the lack of staff, which leaves posts unable to go beyond listening to the public.
"It only happens because, over the years, there has been little investment in the security forces, particularly for these kinds of situations that are basic to their proper functioning. Even though there is a programming law, it still falls far short of what should happen. An amount is budgeted annually, and execution is around 45%; in some years, it is even lower. There's a lot to be done," he emphasised.
The APG president said that postponing the resolution of these issues could become even more costly for the state in the future, calling for a more effective government response.
"We know it won't be solved overnight, not least because there have been many years without investment. There's already a law that provides for funds, and it's up to the state to make this investment. It's up to the state to make that investment, speed up what's in the law, and carry out what's planned year by year. If they do, these issues will be greatly reduced," he concluded.
The IGAI report on unannounced inspections targeted 63 security force facilities in 2023 (42 GNR territorial posts and 21 PSP police stations).
The scope of IGAI's intervention, which carries out these inspections every year, included the conditions in which the public is served, the working conditions of police officers, the detention area, intervention under the Educational Guardianship Act, the Protection of Children and Young People in Danger Act and the Mental Health Act, citizen complaints, victim status and weapons storage, security protocols and the packaging and sealing of seized goods.
JGO/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
