Closure of police stations will ‘free’ up to 500 agents for street patrols – Portugal Resident
The week has been all about reinforcing police patrols in inner city areas. First, the PM announced another 400 officers for Lisbon and Porto; then the PSP syndicate ASPP/ PSP said it was mathematically impossible – and now we learn how it could actually become a reality: the government will simply close police stations (many of which are screaming out for repairs, and beset with leaks/ rodent infestations).
By closing police stations – and we still have no exact figure on how many are ‘at risk’ – the government calculates that it can make up to 500 police available for street patrols. It will just as deftly bypass the need to repair those facilities: a win/ win situation, no less.
According to Correio da Manhã today, the PSP has already delivered a reorganisation plan – for Porto, Lisbon and Setúbal districts – detailing the stations that could be closed. It is now up to the Ministry for Internal Administration to accept it, and act accordingly.
On RTP television news’ “Grande Entrevista” last night, the minister, Luís Neves, said: “I can guarantee residents in Lisbon and Porto that closing a station will result in a greater police presence on the streets.”
Even so, the PSP urban police force is still operating with a personnel deficit. It should have ended 2025 with 20,559 police, but the reality was 19,574, says CM. The numbers “showthat the PSP has never had so few officers than during the last decade: in 2016 there were 20,580, today there are 919 less than this number, and places on training courses are repeatedly left unfilled,” adds the paper.
Source: Correio da Manhã/ LUSA
