Funchal, Portugal, July 15, 2025 (Lusa) - The national director of the PSP, Luís Carrilho, reaffirmed on Tuesday that he preferred the situation leading to the arrest of two officers on suspicion of torture had not occurred, but stressed that the law applies to everyone.
"Dura lex, sed lex. The law is harsh, but it applies to everyone," he said, emphasising that "in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, everyone is subject to the law, including the police. In a state governed by the rule of law, the principle of the presumption of innocence also applies, and it extends to the police."
Luís Carrilho was speaking on the sidelines of the ceremony marking the entry into operation of the Funchal City Video Surveillance System and the Operational Command and Control Centre at the regional headquarters of the Public Security Police (PSP) of Madeira, in the capital of the autonomous region.
“Let’s let the institutions do their job,” he said, adding: “What is very important is that we measure the credibility of institutions through internal and external control, and we, in the Public Security Police, take action on everything that is classified as irregular.”
The Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) carried out searches on 10 July, leading to the arrest of two PSP officers on suspicion of torture, aggravated bodily harm, embezzlement and forgery.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, it was the PSP itself that reported the facts under investigation to the MP.
The searches took place in some police stations within the first Police Division of Lisbon, with a police source telling Lusa that they occurred at least at the Bairro Alto and Rato police stations.
In addition to the police stations, the Public Prosecutor’s Office also carried out house searches.
On 12 July, the Attorney General’s Office told the Lusa news agency that the two PSP officers “were subject to preventive detention” after judicial questioning, while the statement left the specific crimes of which the two defendants are accused to be clarified.
“The Public Security Police takes action and the population can count on the Public Security Police,” said Luís Carrilho, adding: “I prefer to focus on supporting the police after the allegations that they are being targeted, and, as I said, it is very important that we now let the institutions do their work.”
The national director of the PSP emphasised that the institution has around 20,000 police officers and 600 operational support technicians, who have given “an excellent response to everyone.”
“We would prefer it hadn't happened, but the population can count on the Public Security Police, because the Public Security Police, in its spirit of mission, is always at the service of citizens,” he maintained.
DC/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
