Speaking in Braga, during the ceremony celebrating the 148th anniversary of the local PSP command, Luís Carrilho highlighted the positives of security in the country.
“Portugal is, fortunately, one of the safest countries in the world and Braga is one of the safest urban areas in the country. This is not institutional rhetoric, this is a reality that must be spoken about, celebrated and protected”, he said.
In his speech, Luís Carrilho warned of the importance of recruiting new professionals, stressing that it is necessary to invest in the ability to “attract the best”, notably women, in the name of a “more modern, more humane and better prepared” police force.
The deputy commander of the PSP in Braga, Sérgio Soares, warned of a 40% increase in the area under the jurisdiction of the command, a decrease in the ratio of police officers per thousand inhabitants and an increase in the age of professionals.
“24 years ago, there were 2.7 police officers per thousand inhabitants, today there are 2.3 and the average age is 49 years old”, he said.
He stressed that, despite this, crime in the district has fallen.
In 2024, general crime in the area under the jurisdiction of the PSP Braga Command decreased by 8.7% compared to 2023, which is equivalent to 578 fewer reports, according to that police force.
With regard to violent or serious crime, the PSP recorded a decrease of 2.4% (six fewer reports).
Sérgio Soares also mentioned the investment in improving facilities, with ongoing works at the Vila Nova de Famalicão police station and prospects for intervention in Barcelos and Guimarães.
As for the Braga command facilities, the requalification is “under preliminary study”.
I can only praise the PSP in my area (Tomar, Santarêm), and their genuinely sincere effort to ensure public safety. In every encounter I have seen only courteous, friendly and very clear instructions and warnings. All fair and in the public interest. However, I do also wish to highlight the complexity of their jobs and that of the GNR under the obtuse and stupidly protracted laws of PT when it comes to traffic laws and vehicle registrations.
A vehicle, purchased in PT, from a reputable dealer with all its papers, and a license registration and road-worthiness certificate, was registered to me - and yet via the IMT process I have been unable to drive this vehicle for more than year.
Both the PSP and GNR have thrown up their arms at me, tried what they can and said "we are very sorry, but that's what the law says".
This process takes about 2 days in UAE, about 3 days in the UK, and about 60 seconds in Switzerland.
No wonder people are frustrated with backwards systems here, and voting out an incompetent, over-bloated and overly contrived system.
By Anthony Williams from Other on 03 Jun 2025, 22:06
While Portugal is a safe country, what the statistics hide is a massive number of crimes that go unreported or under reported. I experienced this directly with being robbed of my phone by one person putting his atoms around me while another pulled my phone out of my hand. I reported it to the police but the police report stated that “he lost his phone” which made it impossible for me to have my insurance company pay for the phone that was aggressively taken while being held by his accomplice. Under advice from my insurance company, I went back to the police department to have the report corrected, and again there was no mention of an aggressive robbery. According to a Portuguese friend, reporting as an aggressive robbery “would have given them more work to do so they report the easiest explanation.” I have no way of knowing if this is the case.
By Leon McLaughlin from Porto on 04 Jun 2025, 09:53